Sunday August 30th, 2009 - Pittsburgh, PA/Kenosha, WI
Two nights in an airport in one week is too much. It wasn’t part of the showbiz dream I had all those years ago but that’s how it worked out this week. My flights were very early and either hotels or shuttles didn’t match up well so the best option was to just get there.
After I got paid last night in Pittsburgh I asked the owner to take me to the airport so I’d not have to take a cab at 4am. That would have cost me a chunk of cash I don’t have right now so my other option was to sit in the airport and watch workers scrub the place down.
The club owner Jeff told me I did a great job this week and that’s a major breakthrough. He’s a notorious ball buster and known by many across the country as never saying good about anybody. That’s just how he is and I’ve known the guy going on 25 years now so it really took me back when he said that. I know that I’ve arrived when he says good things.
It’s kind of like how some parents (usually fathers) never actually say the words “I love you” to their children. It’s implied. Sorry, that’s not enough. We all have to hear it at least once in a while and hearing I did great shows felt fantastic. We talked about how far I’ve come since I started out seating people at the Funny Bone in Milwaukee back in the ‘80s.
Jeff was even more intense back then and most people didn’t know how to take him. He can be abrasive as hell but also very charming, often within the same five minute period. I grew to accept it as did everyone else who worked at the club but to an outsider it raised a few eyebrows when he’d go off on one of his many tirades about what he hated about life.
The guy does understand comedy though and even his detractors will give him that. It’s an innate thing and some people just have it. He definitely does, but getting through all of his other layers can be exhausting at times. Even so, he told me back in the ‘80s that I was the only one of the Milwaukee comics that had a chance to go anywhere in the business.
25 years later having him tell me I did a great job and saying how far I’ve come made it seem like I’ve come full circle. And I have. I started out on my road journey in Pittsburgh as a greenhorn opener punk and this week I’m finishing up as a headliner. I’ve graduated.
I had to change planes in Detroit and the distance between gates was insane. I thought I was going to miss my flight and it was a hassle but I barely made it. I was out of breath as I sat down, the last one on the plane. They had to unlock the door at the gate to let me in.
This was a long week and part of me is glad it’s over. Another part of me thinks it’s fun to have had so much to do in a single week. That’s what I always dreamed show business would be like and this was pretty close to matching my vision. Living it is an adventure.
Since I flew out of Milwaukee I called my cousin Brett and we went to Pandl’s to have one of their world class brunches. I can’t think of a better meal anywhere and I hadn’t had time to see Brett in a while so we had a blast. I told him it was a graduation celebration.
The question now is what do I do next? Many people get lost after any graduation as it’s a major change in lifestyle. Usually there’s a next level, at least in school. Graduating 8th grade leads up to high school, which leads up to college, and then there’s graduate school.
That’s where I feel like I am right now. I have my PhD in standup comedy but what do I do with it? It took a full out lifetime of sacrifice to attain it and I don’t want to just toss all of that effort away and go get a day job making nine bucks an hour driving a pickle truck.
The truth is, I need the money right now. The old joke about college graduates having to say “Would you like fries with that?” is now applying to me. I have attained a skill level a very small percentage of people ever do but that isn’t a guarantee I’ll be rich and famous.
The reasons for this don’t matter, even if they are legitimate. I could have done better as far as my finances are concerned but I took some chances and now I wish I hadn’t. I wish I wouldn’t have bought all the sports cards I did but sure was fun at the time. In theory, it should have gotten me more of a return than I could have gotten from my bank account.
What I didn’t think of is that there would be major effort to package and sell them and I miscalculated the time I’d have to provide such an effort. It’s not a liquid investment so it ties me up when I am in a pinch like I am now. In a perfect world I’d have a little cushion.
I did for a while and it felt good but I had no idea just how good. That’s the reason I had no qualms about taking the chances I did. I thought I was in good shape and could branch out a little but now I realize it was a mistake. I wish I had it to do over again but I don’t so there’s no use getting angry or upset about anything. I don’t blame anyone but me for this.
What I’m finding so difficult to deal with is everything constantly coming at me so fast. This week of brutal travel was an energy drainer but I can’t just relax and recharge for the next thing. I had to be in Kenosha tonight for another Mothership Connection radio show on AM 1050 WLIP. I would have loved to have gotten some sleep but I had a show to do.
We were in and out tonight and the harder I tried to get it back the more I felt I couldn’t control where it was going. There is a real vibe in there and when it’s good it’s REALLY good. When it’s bad, it’s bad. I don’t think we were bad tonight but it sure wasn’t great.
Tomorrow is going to be packed too. I have to teach a comedy class at Zanies and then I host the Rising Star Showcase after that. Then on Tuesday Jerry’s Kidders are working on our live version of the show to be put in theatres. After that I’ve got a comedy class out in St. Charles, IL at Zanies in the Pheasant Run Resort. It doesn’t quit. My calendar is full.
I’m not complaining about any of this but it sure is a major effort to try and keep all this on the road. Things can’t help but fall through the cracks and I am just getting physically tired trying to always play the catch up game. When I get one thing done the next thing is waiting there ready to be addressed. It doesn’t care how tired or unprepared I am, and it’s a constant problem I’m facing more and more. I have to find a better way to work it out.
Monday, August 31, 2009
A Piece Of Pittsburgh
Friday August 28th, 2009 - Pittsburgh, PA
It’s amazing what a night’s sleep and a shower can do to recharge the batteries. I’m in a very good space today and ideas are still flowing like water from yesterday. I have to find some way to increase my income very soon without committing any crimes and I have no choice but to expand my entrepreneurial horizons. I doubt if I’d be able to find a real job.
Actually, I don’t want one. It’s not that I’m lazy but I really am a poor employee. I have to believe if I’ve made it this long without having to succumb to the false security of a job I can make it a little farther. I don’t mind working, what I mind is working for someone in charge I think is a moron. That doesn’t always have to be the case but it usually happens.
I thought a great example of the pain of that scenario was shown in ‘The Wrestler’ with Mickey Rourke’s character having to take a job at a deli to pay his bills. I wouldn’t have a problem working a part time job for the work, but dealing with a hard ass boss isn’t in my genetic makeup. I’d have to get in his face and that would be it but what does that prove?
It proves I need to be working for myself and that’s what I intend to do. I sure could use some cash right now but going to work at Walmart isn’t going to bail me out in the longer run. The smart thing to do is keep plugging and find a way to manufacture some income. I am in a rut for now but that doesn’t mean it has to last. It’s up to me to turn this around.
I had an idea today that I think I can develop into something. I’m going to keep it in the bag for a while until I write out the big picture but it already involves something I’m good at and have experience. I have to use my skills as an entertainer and public speaker to find ways to put money in my pocket. I do have skills in that department but not many others.
If I had to work a construction job or install swimming pools I’d be dead in a week. If it comes to that I’m in big trouble, but it doesn’t seem all that far off either. If fear of taking a day job motivates me to finally forcing myself into being an entrepreneur, then so be it.
The truth is, I’ve never really put myself into the correct position to make real money. It looked like I was about to get close in radio when I worked at the Loop in Chicago. Until the station got sold they were looking at signing us to a multiyear contract for decent coin.
That was in 2004 and I’d have been sitting pretty right now. Woulda. Coulda. Shoulda.
Instead, I’m worried about how I’m going to get my car out of the airport parking lot on Sunday morning when I get back to Milwaukee. Rent is due on Tuesday and I’ll barely be able to scrape that up. A lot of things led me to this point but deep down I know I’ve been weak with my money skills but that’s only because I’ve chosen to be. I can improve them.
I’m in the situation I’m in because of a combination of things. Luck is part of it but only a small one. Yes, I’ve caught some tough breaks in life but the real reason I’m so broke at this time is because I let money slip through my fingers carelessly. I’m not the only one to do that but it angers me because I don’t have to let it happen. It’s time to fix this problem.
It really is a matter of how I choose to handle this. I can be bitter and angry about where I came from and how little help I’ve had or I can get off my ass and do something about it immediately and enjoy the process as it happens. That would be the best answer and I like challenges so I need to look at this as the ultimate mountain. If I climb it I’ll be the king.
Every day counts. Every choice counts. Every person I choose to have in my life counts. I want to play every card I’ve been dealt correctly and win the game. These are the things I was thinking about all day and it was very exciting to me to be able to start seeing in my mind’s eye what I want to make come true. I feel like I’m FINALLY starting to get a clue.
One of my ex students John Burton drove in from Columbus, OH to hang out and meet the club owner Jeff Schneider in person so hopefully he can get a future booking. I hadn’t seen John in a long time but he’s one of my very favorite students ever. He’s a survivor.
Like me, John’s parents weren’t a factor in his life so his grandparents raised him. He is an only child and his grandparents died, leaving him some money. He thought he was set for life financially and started out on his comedy journey because he enjoyed it. He’s very intelligent and of all my past students he’s one of the hungriest to learn that I’ve ever met.
I’ve stayed in contact with him over the years and always enjoyed seeing his progress in comedy. He’s paid his dues and slugged it out and he has my total respect both on and off stage. He’s a dented can too but with a lot more social skills than me. He plays the game a lot better than I do and he’s also a law school graduate who gave it all up to live a dream.
Jeff Schneider can be a tough nut to crack. Like with so many club owners, it becomes a numbers game as to who gets a booking. I’ve known him since he owned the Funny Bone in Milwaukee where I started back in the ’80s so he’s more than a club owner. I know the guy very well and my word is trusted so John getting a thumbs up from me will be a plus.
John and I hung out for dinner before the show and he’s really struggling right now too. He lost a bunch of money in the stock market and his nest egg is scrambled. He said he is in trouble for the first time in his life and like me, he doesn’t enjoy it. He’s looking for an answer financially just like I am. Everyone in America seems to be struggling with this.
People like John Burton and so many others are why I continue to teach my classes. It’s a win/win for everyone and totally not about the money. I introduced John to Jeff and that made me feel really good because I know he’ll get some work out of it and he can use it.
The audience tonight was just so-so. I suppose I could have walked my way through but I try to never do that. I want to make the most of every time I’m on stage so I used tonight as a practice session. I added new lines and delivered each one with future TV in mind.
The fact is I wasn’t nearly as prepared for my TV spot as I would have liked. There’s a big difference between doing six minutes on television vs. 45 minutes in a club and I flat out didn’t nail it. Unfortunately, thousands will see that when only 100 or so saw tonight.
It’s amazing what a night’s sleep and a shower can do to recharge the batteries. I’m in a very good space today and ideas are still flowing like water from yesterday. I have to find some way to increase my income very soon without committing any crimes and I have no choice but to expand my entrepreneurial horizons. I doubt if I’d be able to find a real job.
Actually, I don’t want one. It’s not that I’m lazy but I really am a poor employee. I have to believe if I’ve made it this long without having to succumb to the false security of a job I can make it a little farther. I don’t mind working, what I mind is working for someone in charge I think is a moron. That doesn’t always have to be the case but it usually happens.
I thought a great example of the pain of that scenario was shown in ‘The Wrestler’ with Mickey Rourke’s character having to take a job at a deli to pay his bills. I wouldn’t have a problem working a part time job for the work, but dealing with a hard ass boss isn’t in my genetic makeup. I’d have to get in his face and that would be it but what does that prove?
It proves I need to be working for myself and that’s what I intend to do. I sure could use some cash right now but going to work at Walmart isn’t going to bail me out in the longer run. The smart thing to do is keep plugging and find a way to manufacture some income. I am in a rut for now but that doesn’t mean it has to last. It’s up to me to turn this around.
I had an idea today that I think I can develop into something. I’m going to keep it in the bag for a while until I write out the big picture but it already involves something I’m good at and have experience. I have to use my skills as an entertainer and public speaker to find ways to put money in my pocket. I do have skills in that department but not many others.
If I had to work a construction job or install swimming pools I’d be dead in a week. If it comes to that I’m in big trouble, but it doesn’t seem all that far off either. If fear of taking a day job motivates me to finally forcing myself into being an entrepreneur, then so be it.
The truth is, I’ve never really put myself into the correct position to make real money. It looked like I was about to get close in radio when I worked at the Loop in Chicago. Until the station got sold they were looking at signing us to a multiyear contract for decent coin.
That was in 2004 and I’d have been sitting pretty right now. Woulda. Coulda. Shoulda.
Instead, I’m worried about how I’m going to get my car out of the airport parking lot on Sunday morning when I get back to Milwaukee. Rent is due on Tuesday and I’ll barely be able to scrape that up. A lot of things led me to this point but deep down I know I’ve been weak with my money skills but that’s only because I’ve chosen to be. I can improve them.
I’m in the situation I’m in because of a combination of things. Luck is part of it but only a small one. Yes, I’ve caught some tough breaks in life but the real reason I’m so broke at this time is because I let money slip through my fingers carelessly. I’m not the only one to do that but it angers me because I don’t have to let it happen. It’s time to fix this problem.
It really is a matter of how I choose to handle this. I can be bitter and angry about where I came from and how little help I’ve had or I can get off my ass and do something about it immediately and enjoy the process as it happens. That would be the best answer and I like challenges so I need to look at this as the ultimate mountain. If I climb it I’ll be the king.
Every day counts. Every choice counts. Every person I choose to have in my life counts. I want to play every card I’ve been dealt correctly and win the game. These are the things I was thinking about all day and it was very exciting to me to be able to start seeing in my mind’s eye what I want to make come true. I feel like I’m FINALLY starting to get a clue.
One of my ex students John Burton drove in from Columbus, OH to hang out and meet the club owner Jeff Schneider in person so hopefully he can get a future booking. I hadn’t seen John in a long time but he’s one of my very favorite students ever. He’s a survivor.
Like me, John’s parents weren’t a factor in his life so his grandparents raised him. He is an only child and his grandparents died, leaving him some money. He thought he was set for life financially and started out on his comedy journey because he enjoyed it. He’s very intelligent and of all my past students he’s one of the hungriest to learn that I’ve ever met.
I’ve stayed in contact with him over the years and always enjoyed seeing his progress in comedy. He’s paid his dues and slugged it out and he has my total respect both on and off stage. He’s a dented can too but with a lot more social skills than me. He plays the game a lot better than I do and he’s also a law school graduate who gave it all up to live a dream.
Jeff Schneider can be a tough nut to crack. Like with so many club owners, it becomes a numbers game as to who gets a booking. I’ve known him since he owned the Funny Bone in Milwaukee where I started back in the ’80s so he’s more than a club owner. I know the guy very well and my word is trusted so John getting a thumbs up from me will be a plus.
John and I hung out for dinner before the show and he’s really struggling right now too. He lost a bunch of money in the stock market and his nest egg is scrambled. He said he is in trouble for the first time in his life and like me, he doesn’t enjoy it. He’s looking for an answer financially just like I am. Everyone in America seems to be struggling with this.
People like John Burton and so many others are why I continue to teach my classes. It’s a win/win for everyone and totally not about the money. I introduced John to Jeff and that made me feel really good because I know he’ll get some work out of it and he can use it.
The audience tonight was just so-so. I suppose I could have walked my way through but I try to never do that. I want to make the most of every time I’m on stage so I used tonight as a practice session. I added new lines and delivered each one with future TV in mind.
The fact is I wasn’t nearly as prepared for my TV spot as I would have liked. There’s a big difference between doing six minutes on television vs. 45 minutes in a club and I flat out didn’t nail it. Unfortunately, thousands will see that when only 100 or so saw tonight.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Fortune Cooking
Friday August 28th, 2009 - Pittsburgh, PA
It’s amazing what a night’s sleep and a shower can do to recharge the batteries. I’m in a very good space today and ideas are still flowing like water from yesterday. I have to find some way to increase my income very soon without committing any crimes and I have no choice but to expand my entrepreneurial horizons. I doubt if I’d be able to find a real job.
Actually, I don’t want one. It’s not that I’m lazy but I really am a poor employee. I have to believe if I’ve made it this long without having to succumb to the false security of a job I can make it a little farther. I don’t mind working, what I mind is working for someone in charge I think is a moron. That doesn’t always have to be the case but it usually happens.
I thought a great example of the pain of that scenario was shown in ‘The Wrestler’ with Mickey Rourke’s character having to take a job at a deli to pay his bills. I wouldn’t have a problem working a part time job for the work, but dealing with a hard ass boss isn’t in my genetic makeup. I’d have to get in his face and that would be it but what does that prove?
It proves I need to be working for myself and that’s what I intend to do. I sure could use some cash right now but going to work at Walmart isn’t going to bail me out in the longer run. The smart thing to do is keep plugging and find a way to manufacture some income. I am in a rut for now but that doesn’t mean it has to last. It’s up to me to turn this around.
I had an idea today that I think I can develop into something. I’m going to keep it in the bag for a while until I write out the big picture but it already involves something I’m good at and have experience. I have to use my skills as an entertainer and public speaker to find ways to put money in my pocket. I do have skills in that department but not many others.
If I had to work a construction job or install swimming pools I’d be dead in a week. If it comes to that I’m in big trouble, but it doesn’t seem all that far off either. If fear of taking a day job motivates me to finally forcing myself into being an entrepreneur, then so be it.
The truth is, I’ve never really put myself into the correct position to make real money. It looked like I was about to get close in radio when I worked at the Loop in Chicago. Until the station got sold they were looking at signing us to a multiyear contract for decent coin. That was in 2004 and I’d have been sitting pretty right now. Woulda. Coulda. Shoulda.
Instead, I’m worried about how I’m going to get my car out of the airport parking lot on Sunday morning when I get back to Milwaukee. Rent is due on Tuesday and I’ll barely be able to scrape that up. A lot of things led me to this point but deep down I know I’ve been weak with my money skills but that’s only because I’ve chosen to be. I can improve them.
I’m in the situation I’m in because of a combination of things. Luck is part of it but only a small one. Yes, I’ve caught some tough breaks in life but the real reason I’m so broke at this time is because I let money slip through my fingers carelessly. I’m not the only one to do that but it angers me because I don’t have to let it happen. It’s time to fix this problem.
It really is a matter of how I choose to handle this. I can be bitter and angry about where I came from and how little help I’ve had or I can get off my ass and do something about it immediately and enjoy the process as it happens. That would be the best answer and I like challenges so I need to look at this as the ultimate mountain. If I climb it I’ll be the king.
Every day counts. Every choice counts. Every person I choose to have in my life counts. I want to play every card I’ve been dealt correctly and win the game. These are the things I was thinking about all day and it was very exciting to me to be able to start seeing in my mind’s eye what I want to make come true. I feel like I’m FINALLY starting to get a clue.
One of my ex students John Burton drove in from Columbus, OH to hang out and meet the club owner Jeff Schneider in person so hopefully he can get a future booking. I hadn’t seen John in a long time but he’s one of my very favorite students ever. He’s a survivor.
Like me, John’s parents weren’t a factor in his life so his grandparents raised him. He is an only child and his grandparents died, leaving him some money. He thought he was set for life financially and started out on his comedy journey because he enjoyed it. He’s very intelligent and of all my past students he’s one of the hungriest to learn that I’ve ever met.
I’ve stayed in contact with him over the years and always enjoyed seeing his progress in comedy. He’s paid his dues and slugged it out and he has my total respect both on and off stage. He’s a dented can too but with a lot more social skills than me. He plays the game a lot better than I do and he’s also a law school graduate who gave it all up to live a dream.
Jeff Schneider can be a tough nut to crack. Like with so many club owners, it becomes a numbers game as to who gets a booking. I’ve known him since he owned the Funny Bone in Milwaukee where I started back in the ’80s so he’s more than a club owner. I know the guy very well and my word is trusted so John getting a thumbs up from me will be a plus.
John and I hung out for dinner before the show and he’s really struggling right now too. He lost a bunch of money in the stock market and his nest egg is scrambled. He said he is in trouble for the first time in his life and like me, he doesn’t enjoy it. He’s looking for an answer financially just like I am. Everyone in America seems to be struggling with this.
People like John Burton and so many others are why I continue to teach my classes. It’s a win/win for everyone and totally not about the money. I introduced John to Jeff and that made me feel really good because I know he’ll get some work out of it and he can use it.
The audience tonight was just so-so. I suppose I could have walked my way through but I try to never do that. I want to make the most of every time I’m on stage so I used tonight as a practice session. I added new lines and delivered each one with future TV in mind.
The fact is I wasn’t nearly as prepared for my TV spot as I would have liked. There’s a big difference between doing six minutes on television vs. 45 minutes in a club and I flat out didn’t nail it. Unfortunately, thousands will see that when only 100 or so saw tonight.
It’s amazing what a night’s sleep and a shower can do to recharge the batteries. I’m in a very good space today and ideas are still flowing like water from yesterday. I have to find some way to increase my income very soon without committing any crimes and I have no choice but to expand my entrepreneurial horizons. I doubt if I’d be able to find a real job.
Actually, I don’t want one. It’s not that I’m lazy but I really am a poor employee. I have to believe if I’ve made it this long without having to succumb to the false security of a job I can make it a little farther. I don’t mind working, what I mind is working for someone in charge I think is a moron. That doesn’t always have to be the case but it usually happens.
I thought a great example of the pain of that scenario was shown in ‘The Wrestler’ with Mickey Rourke’s character having to take a job at a deli to pay his bills. I wouldn’t have a problem working a part time job for the work, but dealing with a hard ass boss isn’t in my genetic makeup. I’d have to get in his face and that would be it but what does that prove?
It proves I need to be working for myself and that’s what I intend to do. I sure could use some cash right now but going to work at Walmart isn’t going to bail me out in the longer run. The smart thing to do is keep plugging and find a way to manufacture some income. I am in a rut for now but that doesn’t mean it has to last. It’s up to me to turn this around.
I had an idea today that I think I can develop into something. I’m going to keep it in the bag for a while until I write out the big picture but it already involves something I’m good at and have experience. I have to use my skills as an entertainer and public speaker to find ways to put money in my pocket. I do have skills in that department but not many others.
If I had to work a construction job or install swimming pools I’d be dead in a week. If it comes to that I’m in big trouble, but it doesn’t seem all that far off either. If fear of taking a day job motivates me to finally forcing myself into being an entrepreneur, then so be it.
The truth is, I’ve never really put myself into the correct position to make real money. It looked like I was about to get close in radio when I worked at the Loop in Chicago. Until the station got sold they were looking at signing us to a multiyear contract for decent coin. That was in 2004 and I’d have been sitting pretty right now. Woulda. Coulda. Shoulda.
Instead, I’m worried about how I’m going to get my car out of the airport parking lot on Sunday morning when I get back to Milwaukee. Rent is due on Tuesday and I’ll barely be able to scrape that up. A lot of things led me to this point but deep down I know I’ve been weak with my money skills but that’s only because I’ve chosen to be. I can improve them.
I’m in the situation I’m in because of a combination of things. Luck is part of it but only a small one. Yes, I’ve caught some tough breaks in life but the real reason I’m so broke at this time is because I let money slip through my fingers carelessly. I’m not the only one to do that but it angers me because I don’t have to let it happen. It’s time to fix this problem.
It really is a matter of how I choose to handle this. I can be bitter and angry about where I came from and how little help I’ve had or I can get off my ass and do something about it immediately and enjoy the process as it happens. That would be the best answer and I like challenges so I need to look at this as the ultimate mountain. If I climb it I’ll be the king.
Every day counts. Every choice counts. Every person I choose to have in my life counts. I want to play every card I’ve been dealt correctly and win the game. These are the things I was thinking about all day and it was very exciting to me to be able to start seeing in my mind’s eye what I want to make come true. I feel like I’m FINALLY starting to get a clue.
One of my ex students John Burton drove in from Columbus, OH to hang out and meet the club owner Jeff Schneider in person so hopefully he can get a future booking. I hadn’t seen John in a long time but he’s one of my very favorite students ever. He’s a survivor.
Like me, John’s parents weren’t a factor in his life so his grandparents raised him. He is an only child and his grandparents died, leaving him some money. He thought he was set for life financially and started out on his comedy journey because he enjoyed it. He’s very intelligent and of all my past students he’s one of the hungriest to learn that I’ve ever met.
I’ve stayed in contact with him over the years and always enjoyed seeing his progress in comedy. He’s paid his dues and slugged it out and he has my total respect both on and off stage. He’s a dented can too but with a lot more social skills than me. He plays the game a lot better than I do and he’s also a law school graduate who gave it all up to live a dream.
Jeff Schneider can be a tough nut to crack. Like with so many club owners, it becomes a numbers game as to who gets a booking. I’ve known him since he owned the Funny Bone in Milwaukee where I started back in the ’80s so he’s more than a club owner. I know the guy very well and my word is trusted so John getting a thumbs up from me will be a plus.
John and I hung out for dinner before the show and he’s really struggling right now too. He lost a bunch of money in the stock market and his nest egg is scrambled. He said he is in trouble for the first time in his life and like me, he doesn’t enjoy it. He’s looking for an answer financially just like I am. Everyone in America seems to be struggling with this.
People like John Burton and so many others are why I continue to teach my classes. It’s a win/win for everyone and totally not about the money. I introduced John to Jeff and that made me feel really good because I know he’ll get some work out of it and he can use it.
The audience tonight was just so-so. I suppose I could have walked my way through but I try to never do that. I want to make the most of every time I’m on stage so I used tonight as a practice session. I added new lines and delivered each one with future TV in mind.
The fact is I wasn’t nearly as prepared for my TV spot as I would have liked. There’s a big difference between doing six minutes on television vs. 45 minutes in a club and I flat out didn’t nail it. Unfortunately, thousands will see that when only 100 or so saw tonight.
Road Wearier
Thursday August 27th, 2009 - Los Angeles, CA/Pittsburgh, PA
My road chops are getting a little rusty. I used to be able to make cross country trips like this with no second thoughts. It was fun and adventurous and exciting to see how long I’d be able to stay out and how many miles I could cover. Now, none of that thrills me at all.
After the taping yesterday I was able to have lunch with Nancy Jo Perdue who I’ve been friends with for many years. I met her at a Gene Perret Round Table convention way back when and she’s a true character. She’s originally from Texas and has the thickest southern drawl I’ve ever heard but it’s really hilarious. I’ve always used her on all my radio shows.
Nancy Jo is a sweetheart and very funny but she’s still struggling to pay her bills too. If I had any clout at all I’d find as many people as I could that were talented and put them all in one place and see what develops. If I‘m good at one thing it‘s nurturing creative souls.
Hopefully that’s what I can do with Uranus Factory Outlet as a concept and we’re trying to do a similar thing with Jerry’s Kidders. Nancy Jo writes jokes for the Kidders when she can and we ate at Canter’s Deli on Fairfax. That’s where we all went after my last taping.
Kristi McHugh was at the last taping too. She’s one of my all time favorites. She’s very smart and funny and a total blonde stunner. She doesn’t fit the bimbo mold at all and that might be why she’s not farther along in the business. I think she’s really great and has lots of potential. She and Kate Brindle both share the title of the sweetest woman in comedy.
Kristi wasn’t available until later so we had dinner at a fantastic seafood place very near her apartment. She is trying to survive in the L.A. jungle where there are all kinds of ugly and underhanded games going on at any one time so it was a treat for her to be able to get real for a little while. I was never good at playing the L.A. game but she’s doing it well.
Kristi and Nancy Jo both said how proud of me they were that I have started to get some TV credits and it feels very good to hear that. They’re both real people with souls and that means a lot in a business that can be so cold and heartless sometimes. They were sincere.
My flight was at 6:30am so I took my rental car back after dinner and hopped a shuttle back to the airport. Getting a hotel would have been a waste of more money I don’t have so I prepared myself for a night at LAX. I’ve slept in airports before and even though it’s a hassle at least I don’t have to worry about missing a cab or bus. It’s better to be there.
I grabbed my computer like a running back grabs a football from the quarterback and it was nestled tightly in my arms as I fell asleep in the uncomfortable airport chair. The last thing I need would be to have it walk away with all my life on it. I need another backup.
I hadn’t had much sleep in the last couple of days so I actually nodded out and woke up about 5am. That’s the most sleep I think I ever got in a row at an airport but my neck felt like a sumo wrestler had stood on it for a week when I woke up. I was sore and felt funky.
I don’t enjoy that feeling of needing a shower and a shave. Some people don’t mind it at all but I can’t stand it. I don’t think I’d have made a good cowboy or shepherd because I’d have felt greasy and sweaty all the time and not been able to focus on what I needed to do.
What’s worse than that is having to take a dump at the airport. That’s never fun because of having to keep luggage within eye sight to avoid theft and the bathrooms are usually an absolute nightmare of filth. I’m not a germophobe but there are better places to handle the more personal business of life. I guess I’m a snob but I like to have a little more privacy.
One place that’s worse than the airport though is the actual airplane. ‘Dropping a deuce’ on an airplane is one of the most hideous tasks I can imagine and I’ve done it all too often to know what I’m talking about. Once is all too often but when ya gotta go, ya gotta GO.
Even worse than having to let loose on the plane is following someone ELSE who did it immediately before you opened the door. That’s about as brutal as it gets and it’s always a reminder to me how grateful I am I never had to put in any serious time on a submarine.
I walked to my gate and waited for my plane and felt like I needed a shower but that’s a part of being on the road. I had another five and a half hours on the plane to Philadelphia and when I got on I had to sit next to a married couple who were in the middle of a fight.
My ticket said I had the window seat but I didn’t want to butt in because they were both trying to keep it quiet but they were locking horns pretty good. I sat in the aisle seat but it didn’t stop their momentum at all. They kept on sticking fingers in each other’s faces and talking with their teeth clenched together like I’ve seen so many couples do when angry.
The plane was full of people from Philadelphia and I could sense a short tempered vibe all over the place. Nobody was in a mood to take any lumps and when somebody’s baby started to cry I could see the angry glares from all over the plane. I just wanted to take off and get to Pittsburgh on time for the show. This was a long trip that sucked up my energy.
I decided to use the time in the air to really go over my life and decide what I need to do to get things going. I made lists of my top contacts in all the areas of my life I’m involved in and I felt like I was thinking clearly as I wrote down my ideas which kept on flowing as the flight wore on. I ignored the fighting couple and poured myself into the task at hand.
The truth is that I enjoy challenges. Many of my personal struggles have been a difficult road compared to others but there’s something extra sweet about something that turns out how it’s supposed to, or at least how I think it should. Unfortunately this taping wasn’t an example of it. I wasn’t thrilled with it but I will move on and shake it off. It’s in the past.
I did make it to Pittsburgh and took a shuttle from the airport to the club. I’d guess there were maybe 45 or 50 people but I gave them a solid show. I love the rust belt and I felt an instant kinship with the audience. I wish I’d had the same click with the television crowd in L.A. but it was a whole different animal. Comedy’s tough, but it’s still my main love.
My road chops are getting a little rusty. I used to be able to make cross country trips like this with no second thoughts. It was fun and adventurous and exciting to see how long I’d be able to stay out and how many miles I could cover. Now, none of that thrills me at all.
After the taping yesterday I was able to have lunch with Nancy Jo Perdue who I’ve been friends with for many years. I met her at a Gene Perret Round Table convention way back when and she’s a true character. She’s originally from Texas and has the thickest southern drawl I’ve ever heard but it’s really hilarious. I’ve always used her on all my radio shows.
Nancy Jo is a sweetheart and very funny but she’s still struggling to pay her bills too. If I had any clout at all I’d find as many people as I could that were talented and put them all in one place and see what develops. If I‘m good at one thing it‘s nurturing creative souls.
Hopefully that’s what I can do with Uranus Factory Outlet as a concept and we’re trying to do a similar thing with Jerry’s Kidders. Nancy Jo writes jokes for the Kidders when she can and we ate at Canter’s Deli on Fairfax. That’s where we all went after my last taping.
Kristi McHugh was at the last taping too. She’s one of my all time favorites. She’s very smart and funny and a total blonde stunner. She doesn’t fit the bimbo mold at all and that might be why she’s not farther along in the business. I think she’s really great and has lots of potential. She and Kate Brindle both share the title of the sweetest woman in comedy.
Kristi wasn’t available until later so we had dinner at a fantastic seafood place very near her apartment. She is trying to survive in the L.A. jungle where there are all kinds of ugly and underhanded games going on at any one time so it was a treat for her to be able to get real for a little while. I was never good at playing the L.A. game but she’s doing it well.
Kristi and Nancy Jo both said how proud of me they were that I have started to get some TV credits and it feels very good to hear that. They’re both real people with souls and that means a lot in a business that can be so cold and heartless sometimes. They were sincere.
My flight was at 6:30am so I took my rental car back after dinner and hopped a shuttle back to the airport. Getting a hotel would have been a waste of more money I don’t have so I prepared myself for a night at LAX. I’ve slept in airports before and even though it’s a hassle at least I don’t have to worry about missing a cab or bus. It’s better to be there.
I grabbed my computer like a running back grabs a football from the quarterback and it was nestled tightly in my arms as I fell asleep in the uncomfortable airport chair. The last thing I need would be to have it walk away with all my life on it. I need another backup.
I hadn’t had much sleep in the last couple of days so I actually nodded out and woke up about 5am. That’s the most sleep I think I ever got in a row at an airport but my neck felt like a sumo wrestler had stood on it for a week when I woke up. I was sore and felt funky.
I don’t enjoy that feeling of needing a shower and a shave. Some people don’t mind it at all but I can’t stand it. I don’t think I’d have made a good cowboy or shepherd because I’d have felt greasy and sweaty all the time and not been able to focus on what I needed to do.
What’s worse than that is having to take a dump at the airport. That’s never fun because of having to keep luggage within eye sight to avoid theft and the bathrooms are usually an absolute nightmare of filth. I’m not a germophobe but there are better places to handle the more personal business of life. I guess I’m a snob but I like to have a little more privacy.
One place that’s worse than the airport though is the actual airplane. ‘Dropping a deuce’ on an airplane is one of the most hideous tasks I can imagine and I’ve done it all too often to know what I’m talking about. Once is all too often but when ya gotta go, ya gotta GO.
Even worse than having to let loose on the plane is following someone ELSE who did it immediately before you opened the door. That’s about as brutal as it gets and it’s always a reminder to me how grateful I am I never had to put in any serious time on a submarine.
I walked to my gate and waited for my plane and felt like I needed a shower but that’s a part of being on the road. I had another five and a half hours on the plane to Philadelphia and when I got on I had to sit next to a married couple who were in the middle of a fight.
My ticket said I had the window seat but I didn’t want to butt in because they were both trying to keep it quiet but they were locking horns pretty good. I sat in the aisle seat but it didn’t stop their momentum at all. They kept on sticking fingers in each other’s faces and talking with their teeth clenched together like I’ve seen so many couples do when angry.
The plane was full of people from Philadelphia and I could sense a short tempered vibe all over the place. Nobody was in a mood to take any lumps and when somebody’s baby started to cry I could see the angry glares from all over the plane. I just wanted to take off and get to Pittsburgh on time for the show. This was a long trip that sucked up my energy.
I decided to use the time in the air to really go over my life and decide what I need to do to get things going. I made lists of my top contacts in all the areas of my life I’m involved in and I felt like I was thinking clearly as I wrote down my ideas which kept on flowing as the flight wore on. I ignored the fighting couple and poured myself into the task at hand.
The truth is that I enjoy challenges. Many of my personal struggles have been a difficult road compared to others but there’s something extra sweet about something that turns out how it’s supposed to, or at least how I think it should. Unfortunately this taping wasn’t an example of it. I wasn’t thrilled with it but I will move on and shake it off. It’s in the past.
I did make it to Pittsburgh and took a shuttle from the airport to the club. I’d guess there were maybe 45 or 50 people but I gave them a solid show. I love the rust belt and I felt an instant kinship with the audience. I wish I’d had the same click with the television crowd in L.A. but it was a whole different animal. Comedy’s tough, but it’s still my main love.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Too Pooped To Pass Judgment
Wednesday August 26th, 2009 - Los Angeles, CA
I guess I must not have as much good karma stored up as I originally thought. Every bit of this trip so far as been as absolutely difficult as is humanly possible and I can’t seem to catch a break anywhere. It’s frustrating on one hand but on the other I think I asked for it.
Coming out here on short notice on a wing and a prayer might not have been the correct thing to do. Not only did I get raped for a last minute plane ticket, there was also an added $71 for the rental car, which was actually a mini van as that’s all they had left. Of course.
It’s hard to feel sexy and enjoy L.A. in a mini van. Hot women in Mercedes Benzes had that look of stepping barefoot in fresh pet poop in their eye as they looked over at the red light hoping to see Steven Spielberg winking back from whatever it is he drives. I have to believe it’s not a rented mini van. I could feel their disappointment through locked doors.
I was disappointed too. I wanted to be cruising around in a convertible enjoying the vibe of L.A. that I love so much. Instead I found myself scrounging for any hotel room I could rustle up with no reservation at 3:30am L.A. time which was really 5:30am Chicago time. I was overly tired and frustrated and really having second thoughts about making this trip.
The first thing I wanted to do was find the actual place where the TV show was taped so I wouldn’t get lost. This was the reason I came and I wanted to know exactly where it was so I wouldn’t blow it in the morning, which it now was. I found it and then started to look for the nearest motel so I could at least get a shower and a couple hours of quality sleep.
The only place I could find was a rat hole for $108. Everything else was full and it left a bad taste in my mouth to have to pay so much for such a cruddy room but that was a great example of supply and demand. He had a room and I needed one badly. We both knew it.
I gave him my credit card and it was declined. I was in shock. He ran it through again to make sure and again it was declined. I gave him my debit card hoping that still had a few bucks left on it and thankfully it did. I grabbed my luggage and trudged to my new hovel.
The first thing I did was call the credit card 800 number to see what my balance was. It’s as high as I’ve ever had it and I tried to figure out what happened. Then it hit me. I bought my latest car with it and then it needed huge repairs. I also had a balance from before with all my dental work still on it. I guess I didn’t think it was that high but it really added up.
Now I was really depressed. I laid in bed staring at the ceiling not able to go to sleep but knowing I really needed some. I knew I was in weak financial shape but not this bad. I am going to really have to readjust my thinking but there’s no time for that until I get home.
I eventually nodded off but it sure wasn’t a restful sleep. 7am rolled around so fast that I didn’t even feel like I got any sleep at all. I scrubbed up and got dressed so I wouldn’t get to the studio late since I put so much effort into getting here. My mind didn’t feel sharp.
I did manage to make it to the taping location exactly on time. There were lots of people in line to be audience members and I noticed they were a lot younger than I usually like as my audiences but they were dressed very nicely and looked friendly. I was greeted and led around the back of the building by a gorgeous production assistant and told where to wait.
There is always a lot of hustle and bustle going on with TV and movie shoots and I tried to stay out of everyone’s way. I had to fill out a heaping pile of paperwork so I could get a paycheck but I may have some union issues as I just did another show earlier in the year.
I was a member of AFTRA when I worked at the Loop but they really never did me any favors, especially after I lost my job. I stopped paying my dues and got some letters which I eventually stopped opening and just tossed into the trash. I hope they don’t withhold any money because if they do I’m really going to be screwed. I’ll find that out soon enough.
The main thing I was here to do was get another TV credit and do a good set. This show was not Comics Unleashed as I’d expected. It’s a new show called Comics.TV and Byron Allen is the executive producer but not the host. He was there and very friendly as he met us backstage before the taping. I thanked him for letting me be on the show and meant it.
The audience was about 300 and Byron was the warmup. He did a great job telling them what to do and how to react and then he brought out the female host who I’d never met. It was very similar to other TV shows where several comedians perform in six minute sets.
I happened to be on the first show ever recorded and I knew a few of the others and they were all really nice people and funny too. Greg Hahn opened the show and he’s very high energy and funny. That was a great choice to open. I also knew Dwayne Perkins and Alex Reymundo from the road and both are also quality acts and good people. Everybody was.
The staff was exceptionally friendly just as they were on The Late Late Show. I seem to forget that the staff wants us to do well because the better we do the longer the show lasts and the more paychecks they can collect. That’s not always how it feels working in clubs.
I drew number five of six in performing order and I was really tired by the time I was to go on. It’s not an excuse, but it is a fact. I over thought my set and Eric the producer said I should do my Late Late Show set and add on to it to make it six minutes. I tried to please him but I also wanted it to be a great set because I wanted to show him I can do the job.
When I got out there it threw me a little because they didn’t let us see the set before the taping like they did on The Late Late Show. I tried to get into a groove but I felt a little bit off right from the start. Then I took it in a totally different direction and felt like I got lost.
The more off track I got the more I tried to scramble to recover and I never did feel like I got them like I know I can. I did get an applause break but it wasn’t a killer and I did my time and got off when I saw the wrap up sign. I was pretty disappointed but the backstage makeup lady said I was funny. I didn’t know what to think. I was too tired to think at all.
I guess I must not have as much good karma stored up as I originally thought. Every bit of this trip so far as been as absolutely difficult as is humanly possible and I can’t seem to catch a break anywhere. It’s frustrating on one hand but on the other I think I asked for it.
Coming out here on short notice on a wing and a prayer might not have been the correct thing to do. Not only did I get raped for a last minute plane ticket, there was also an added $71 for the rental car, which was actually a mini van as that’s all they had left. Of course.
It’s hard to feel sexy and enjoy L.A. in a mini van. Hot women in Mercedes Benzes had that look of stepping barefoot in fresh pet poop in their eye as they looked over at the red light hoping to see Steven Spielberg winking back from whatever it is he drives. I have to believe it’s not a rented mini van. I could feel their disappointment through locked doors.
I was disappointed too. I wanted to be cruising around in a convertible enjoying the vibe of L.A. that I love so much. Instead I found myself scrounging for any hotel room I could rustle up with no reservation at 3:30am L.A. time which was really 5:30am Chicago time. I was overly tired and frustrated and really having second thoughts about making this trip.
The first thing I wanted to do was find the actual place where the TV show was taped so I wouldn’t get lost. This was the reason I came and I wanted to know exactly where it was so I wouldn’t blow it in the morning, which it now was. I found it and then started to look for the nearest motel so I could at least get a shower and a couple hours of quality sleep.
The only place I could find was a rat hole for $108. Everything else was full and it left a bad taste in my mouth to have to pay so much for such a cruddy room but that was a great example of supply and demand. He had a room and I needed one badly. We both knew it.
I gave him my credit card and it was declined. I was in shock. He ran it through again to make sure and again it was declined. I gave him my debit card hoping that still had a few bucks left on it and thankfully it did. I grabbed my luggage and trudged to my new hovel.
The first thing I did was call the credit card 800 number to see what my balance was. It’s as high as I’ve ever had it and I tried to figure out what happened. Then it hit me. I bought my latest car with it and then it needed huge repairs. I also had a balance from before with all my dental work still on it. I guess I didn’t think it was that high but it really added up.
Now I was really depressed. I laid in bed staring at the ceiling not able to go to sleep but knowing I really needed some. I knew I was in weak financial shape but not this bad. I am going to really have to readjust my thinking but there’s no time for that until I get home.
I eventually nodded off but it sure wasn’t a restful sleep. 7am rolled around so fast that I didn’t even feel like I got any sleep at all. I scrubbed up and got dressed so I wouldn’t get to the studio late since I put so much effort into getting here. My mind didn’t feel sharp.
I did manage to make it to the taping location exactly on time. There were lots of people in line to be audience members and I noticed they were a lot younger than I usually like as my audiences but they were dressed very nicely and looked friendly. I was greeted and led around the back of the building by a gorgeous production assistant and told where to wait.
There is always a lot of hustle and bustle going on with TV and movie shoots and I tried to stay out of everyone’s way. I had to fill out a heaping pile of paperwork so I could get a paycheck but I may have some union issues as I just did another show earlier in the year.
I was a member of AFTRA when I worked at the Loop but they really never did me any favors, especially after I lost my job. I stopped paying my dues and got some letters which I eventually stopped opening and just tossed into the trash. I hope they don’t withhold any money because if they do I’m really going to be screwed. I’ll find that out soon enough.
The main thing I was here to do was get another TV credit and do a good set. This show was not Comics Unleashed as I’d expected. It’s a new show called Comics.TV and Byron Allen is the executive producer but not the host. He was there and very friendly as he met us backstage before the taping. I thanked him for letting me be on the show and meant it.
The audience was about 300 and Byron was the warmup. He did a great job telling them what to do and how to react and then he brought out the female host who I’d never met. It was very similar to other TV shows where several comedians perform in six minute sets.
I happened to be on the first show ever recorded and I knew a few of the others and they were all really nice people and funny too. Greg Hahn opened the show and he’s very high energy and funny. That was a great choice to open. I also knew Dwayne Perkins and Alex Reymundo from the road and both are also quality acts and good people. Everybody was.
The staff was exceptionally friendly just as they were on The Late Late Show. I seem to forget that the staff wants us to do well because the better we do the longer the show lasts and the more paychecks they can collect. That’s not always how it feels working in clubs.
I drew number five of six in performing order and I was really tired by the time I was to go on. It’s not an excuse, but it is a fact. I over thought my set and Eric the producer said I should do my Late Late Show set and add on to it to make it six minutes. I tried to please him but I also wanted it to be a great set because I wanted to show him I can do the job.
When I got out there it threw me a little because they didn’t let us see the set before the taping like they did on The Late Late Show. I tried to get into a groove but I felt a little bit off right from the start. Then I took it in a totally different direction and felt like I got lost.
The more off track I got the more I tried to scramble to recover and I never did feel like I got them like I know I can. I did get an applause break but it wasn’t a killer and I did my time and got off when I saw the wrap up sign. I was pretty disappointed but the backstage makeup lady said I was funny. I didn’t know what to think. I was too tired to think at all.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
The Next Adventure Begins
Tuesday August 25th, 2009 - Minneapolis, MN
My whirlwind week long action packed highly stimulating bombastic free spirited cross country swashbuckling adventure begins today. No buckles to report on any swashes as of yet but it‘s still early. My main goal is that I’ll show up on time everywhere I’m expected.
So far I’m ok. I was scheduled to attend the Lake County Convention & Visitors Bureau 25th anniversary luncheon at the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort at noon and I made it. There was massive road construction in every direction but I left early because I knew about it.
My friend Jayne Nordstrom asked me to help out with a trivia contest during lunch and I said I’d do it months ago and didn’t want to back out at the last minute. Jayne has really gone out of her way to make sure I get my membership dues worth and not only is she an outstanding worker, everyone else in the office is on the ball too. They really get it done.
Those are people I want to be associated with and it was nice of them to include me in a big event like this. There were mayors of Lake County towns and business owners and all kinds of various dignitaries but most of them were just nice people. I was able to squeeze a few laughs out of them while they were eating and also plug myself and Jerry’s Kidders.
These are the kind of people who would totally book the Kidders for a yearly banquet or some other kind of larger event. Many of them perked up when I was introduced as being a regular on WGN and I could tell by the looks of them most weren’t regular comedy club goers. That’s totally fine because we’d be able to bring a much different and better show.
There’s no way I’d be able to get all of these people on the phone individually so being a part of the Visitor’s Bureau was a smart investment. My name is out there now with the movers and shakers and as far as I know I’m the only comedian who lives in the county.
Whether I am or not I’m the only one who invested in the $300 membership fee but it’s already paying off. I’ve got a Thursday night gig in Waukegan in October and I even have a return booking in February because they like the idea and find me easy to work with and flexible. That’s what I’m trying to project and I really feel I can manufacture some work.
There is money in Lake County and it’s growing all the time. They just built a gigantic water park called Key Lime Cove and there will be a minor league baseball team starting next year called the Lake County Fielders. The team owner was at the luncheon today but I didn’t get a chance to meet him or anyone else because I needed to catch my 5:00 plane.
I flew out of Milwaukee because it’s closer than O’Hare and less expensive to park for a long haul. My plane turned out to be delayed so I got rerouted to a completely different airline and am now in Minneapolis rather than Phoenix like I expected. I hope I make it.
Tomorrow is the most important stop on the tour. I have to be at the studio at 8am for a 9am taping and I don’t have a place to stay or rental car yet. Karma, throw me a bone.
My whirlwind week long action packed highly stimulating bombastic free spirited cross country swashbuckling adventure begins today. No buckles to report on any swashes as of yet but it‘s still early. My main goal is that I’ll show up on time everywhere I’m expected.
So far I’m ok. I was scheduled to attend the Lake County Convention & Visitors Bureau 25th anniversary luncheon at the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort at noon and I made it. There was massive road construction in every direction but I left early because I knew about it.
My friend Jayne Nordstrom asked me to help out with a trivia contest during lunch and I said I’d do it months ago and didn’t want to back out at the last minute. Jayne has really gone out of her way to make sure I get my membership dues worth and not only is she an outstanding worker, everyone else in the office is on the ball too. They really get it done.
Those are people I want to be associated with and it was nice of them to include me in a big event like this. There were mayors of Lake County towns and business owners and all kinds of various dignitaries but most of them were just nice people. I was able to squeeze a few laughs out of them while they were eating and also plug myself and Jerry’s Kidders.
These are the kind of people who would totally book the Kidders for a yearly banquet or some other kind of larger event. Many of them perked up when I was introduced as being a regular on WGN and I could tell by the looks of them most weren’t regular comedy club goers. That’s totally fine because we’d be able to bring a much different and better show.
There’s no way I’d be able to get all of these people on the phone individually so being a part of the Visitor’s Bureau was a smart investment. My name is out there now with the movers and shakers and as far as I know I’m the only comedian who lives in the county.
Whether I am or not I’m the only one who invested in the $300 membership fee but it’s already paying off. I’ve got a Thursday night gig in Waukegan in October and I even have a return booking in February because they like the idea and find me easy to work with and flexible. That’s what I’m trying to project and I really feel I can manufacture some work.
There is money in Lake County and it’s growing all the time. They just built a gigantic water park called Key Lime Cove and there will be a minor league baseball team starting next year called the Lake County Fielders. The team owner was at the luncheon today but I didn’t get a chance to meet him or anyone else because I needed to catch my 5:00 plane.
I flew out of Milwaukee because it’s closer than O’Hare and less expensive to park for a long haul. My plane turned out to be delayed so I got rerouted to a completely different airline and am now in Minneapolis rather than Phoenix like I expected. I hope I make it.
Tomorrow is the most important stop on the tour. I have to be at the studio at 8am for a 9am taping and I don’t have a place to stay or rental car yet. Karma, throw me a bone.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Bracing For Chaos
Monday August 24th, 2009 - Chicago, IL
This is going to be one of my busiest weeks in recent memory so I’m trying to cover all bases to avoid making any major mistakes. I’m a one man band and that can be the kiss of death in situations like this. Missing out on one little detail can screw up the whole week.
I have to be in Los Angeles by Wednesday to film the TV show but I still don’t have the details of where I need to report and when. I also don’t have a place to stay yet because of the short notice of it all. I hope I can score a rental car and cheap hotel but maybe I’ll find someone to throw me a bone and let me grab a couch. I have quite a few friends out there.
After L.A. I need to be in Pittsburgh by Thursday night and then back to Chicago so I’ll make it for The Mothership Connection radio show on Sunday night. That’s a lot of miles covered and a lot of things could potentially go wrong and throw a wrench into the mix.
Today I had a comedy class to teach at Zanies in Chicago at 6pm and then I headlined a show that started at 8:30. Before that I had to go and buy a sport coat because I’m helping host a big event with the Lake County Convention and Visitors Bureau tomorrow before I catch my plane. It’s their 25th anniversary and I was asked to host an awards presentation.
I said I’d do it and can’t back out now but it will make my schedule even tighter. I have to be at the airport by around 3pm for a 5pm flight and the event is a big luncheon and it’s probably going to go a little long so that will cut my time cushion even more. I expect this week to be that constant pressure of having to be somewhere on time and I don’t like that.
Stressful situations are bound to happen at some point and if there’s ever a time when I could use a road manager this is it. But I don’t have one right now and it’s all on me to be in all those places this week and still show up fresh and perky and ready to be Mr. Funny Boy at the drop of a hat. This is the part of comedy nobody thinks about when they start.
I love being a comedian and I’m sure I’ll have fun this week and meet some new friends and all that but the constant feeling of stress to keep having to show up in different places is really something I could do without. But then again I really couldn’t. This is a part of it.
The road is brutal and unforgiving and if I miss a plane or don’t find an affordable hotel the road doesn’t care one bit. I’m really short on cash right now and I put it all on the line to buy my plane ticket on short notice. Rental car and hotel are extra and I’m crossing my fingers I can catch a break somewhere. I’m not sure when I’ll get paid for the TV show.
Again, nobody cares about any of this but me. The TV show only cares if I’m funny for six minutes. The club in Pittsburgh only cares that I make it to town for a show at 8pm on Thursday. Listeners of The Mothership Connection only think about it on Sunday night.
If I’m not any of those places life will go on without me and that’s even more humbling because none of this really matters. Still, I do intend to show up and give my best effort.
This is going to be one of my busiest weeks in recent memory so I’m trying to cover all bases to avoid making any major mistakes. I’m a one man band and that can be the kiss of death in situations like this. Missing out on one little detail can screw up the whole week.
I have to be in Los Angeles by Wednesday to film the TV show but I still don’t have the details of where I need to report and when. I also don’t have a place to stay yet because of the short notice of it all. I hope I can score a rental car and cheap hotel but maybe I’ll find someone to throw me a bone and let me grab a couch. I have quite a few friends out there.
After L.A. I need to be in Pittsburgh by Thursday night and then back to Chicago so I’ll make it for The Mothership Connection radio show on Sunday night. That’s a lot of miles covered and a lot of things could potentially go wrong and throw a wrench into the mix.
Today I had a comedy class to teach at Zanies in Chicago at 6pm and then I headlined a show that started at 8:30. Before that I had to go and buy a sport coat because I’m helping host a big event with the Lake County Convention and Visitors Bureau tomorrow before I catch my plane. It’s their 25th anniversary and I was asked to host an awards presentation.
I said I’d do it and can’t back out now but it will make my schedule even tighter. I have to be at the airport by around 3pm for a 5pm flight and the event is a big luncheon and it’s probably going to go a little long so that will cut my time cushion even more. I expect this week to be that constant pressure of having to be somewhere on time and I don’t like that.
Stressful situations are bound to happen at some point and if there’s ever a time when I could use a road manager this is it. But I don’t have one right now and it’s all on me to be in all those places this week and still show up fresh and perky and ready to be Mr. Funny Boy at the drop of a hat. This is the part of comedy nobody thinks about when they start.
I love being a comedian and I’m sure I’ll have fun this week and meet some new friends and all that but the constant feeling of stress to keep having to show up in different places is really something I could do without. But then again I really couldn’t. This is a part of it.
The road is brutal and unforgiving and if I miss a plane or don’t find an affordable hotel the road doesn’t care one bit. I’m really short on cash right now and I put it all on the line to buy my plane ticket on short notice. Rental car and hotel are extra and I’m crossing my fingers I can catch a break somewhere. I’m not sure when I’ll get paid for the TV show.
Again, nobody cares about any of this but me. The TV show only cares if I’m funny for six minutes. The club in Pittsburgh only cares that I make it to town for a show at 8pm on Thursday. Listeners of The Mothership Connection only think about it on Sunday night.
If I’m not any of those places life will go on without me and that’s even more humbling because none of this really matters. Still, I do intend to show up and give my best effort.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Off The Deep End
Sunday August 23rd, 2009 - Kenosha, WI/Lake Villa, IL
I’m starting to get back in a walking groove again and I feel better already. I had to miss yesterday because I needed to be at WGN for Jerry’s Kidders early in the morning so I did two laps today to make up for it. I must admit I was hurting for a while near the middle of it but I didn’t quit and finished strong. My heart was pumping and I was a sweat machine.
Doing a little exercise for a few days or even a few months isn’t going to reverse all the horrible food and gross amounts of sugar and animal fats I’ve crammed into my cake hole in a lifetime but it’s a positive start. Now I need to make it a habit for as long as I’m alive. Starting and stopping like I have been won’t really help anything. It has to become habit.
One thing that’s really becoming a good habit is the Mothership Connection radio show on WLIP AM 1050 in Kenosha, WI. Tonight was another fun program and we went about as far into deep thought as I can ever recall hearing or being part of on any radio station in my experience. We got into the meaning of life and why we’re here and it was cleansing.
The last few weeks we had a full house in studio but tonight it was only Dr. Destruction and Lara Shaffer as our other co-host Diane Ebert was feeling sick and wanted to have the night off. Gary Pansch can only be in studio the first hour because he has to work. He left after his weekly ‘Mothership Hall of Fame’ segment and we started off on deep thoughts.
We kept talking and throwing in different angles and it was very interesting, at least for the three of us in studio. Dr. D and Lara are intelligent people and I like to think I can stay with most anyone when it comes to topics like this and we started clicking and interacting and before we knew it an hour went by. We all agreed it was by far our best riffing ever.
I’m not sure how it would have gone over on a bigger station and that’s what makes this experience so much fun. WLIP is a real radio station but it’s not WGN so I don’ t have to be concerned so much about appealing to the masses. We can go in whatever direction we feel like, within reason. Tonight wasn’t necessarily our normal direction but it was good.
We’ve got some regular callers who like the station in general and they’d probably stick with us if we read bean dip recipes for three hours. That’s not an insult to them but rather a tribute to the radio station. WLIP has been a part of Kenosha for decades and I never am lost on that fact. There are many people in town who have it locked in 24 hours a day.
Granted, many of them are older and might not be used to hearing about space aliens or most of the other things we talk about but I can feel we’re getting a following and it’s fun to go in every week knowing there are people listening. We’re growing this organically.
We hung around the studio afterward and riffed some more on how we might be able to turn a buck eventually. Nobody knew. What we did know is that we’re starting to find our groove and it’s working out really well. Two grooves in one day is very positive. Walking builds my physical self and the show builds my mental and spiritual self. It’s all positive.
I’m starting to get back in a walking groove again and I feel better already. I had to miss yesterday because I needed to be at WGN for Jerry’s Kidders early in the morning so I did two laps today to make up for it. I must admit I was hurting for a while near the middle of it but I didn’t quit and finished strong. My heart was pumping and I was a sweat machine.
Doing a little exercise for a few days or even a few months isn’t going to reverse all the horrible food and gross amounts of sugar and animal fats I’ve crammed into my cake hole in a lifetime but it’s a positive start. Now I need to make it a habit for as long as I’m alive. Starting and stopping like I have been won’t really help anything. It has to become habit.
One thing that’s really becoming a good habit is the Mothership Connection radio show on WLIP AM 1050 in Kenosha, WI. Tonight was another fun program and we went about as far into deep thought as I can ever recall hearing or being part of on any radio station in my experience. We got into the meaning of life and why we’re here and it was cleansing.
The last few weeks we had a full house in studio but tonight it was only Dr. Destruction and Lara Shaffer as our other co-host Diane Ebert was feeling sick and wanted to have the night off. Gary Pansch can only be in studio the first hour because he has to work. He left after his weekly ‘Mothership Hall of Fame’ segment and we started off on deep thoughts.
We kept talking and throwing in different angles and it was very interesting, at least for the three of us in studio. Dr. D and Lara are intelligent people and I like to think I can stay with most anyone when it comes to topics like this and we started clicking and interacting and before we knew it an hour went by. We all agreed it was by far our best riffing ever.
I’m not sure how it would have gone over on a bigger station and that’s what makes this experience so much fun. WLIP is a real radio station but it’s not WGN so I don’ t have to be concerned so much about appealing to the masses. We can go in whatever direction we feel like, within reason. Tonight wasn’t necessarily our normal direction but it was good.
We’ve got some regular callers who like the station in general and they’d probably stick with us if we read bean dip recipes for three hours. That’s not an insult to them but rather a tribute to the radio station. WLIP has been a part of Kenosha for decades and I never am lost on that fact. There are many people in town who have it locked in 24 hours a day.
Granted, many of them are older and might not be used to hearing about space aliens or most of the other things we talk about but I can feel we’re getting a following and it’s fun to go in every week knowing there are people listening. We’re growing this organically.
We hung around the studio afterward and riffed some more on how we might be able to turn a buck eventually. Nobody knew. What we did know is that we’re starting to find our groove and it’s working out really well. Two grooves in one day is very positive. Walking builds my physical self and the show builds my mental and spiritual self. It’s all positive.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Inglourious Kidders
Saturday August 22nd, 2009 - Chicago, IL/Kenosha, WI/Gurnee, IL
Busy from sunup to sundown today. I didn’t get to bed until 6am because I was working on Jerry’s Kidders bits and needed to finish up. I got right back up at 8:00 and it reminded me of one of the good things about not being in morning radio anymore. The hours stink.
I’d much rather be pooped but prepared than go in the studio and waste everyone’s time as I easily could have done. I respect Jerry too much and he’s putting his neck out by even having us on at all. WGN is a major radio station and I’m very fortunate to have a regular weekly slot on it. The least I can do is give my best effort. Plus, we were short a Kidder.
Tim Slagle had to attend a funeral in Michigan on short notice so we had a short crew. I felt I needed to be the anchor today because Ken Sevara’s strength isn’t necessarily on the radio side. Tim and Ken are both comics. Jerry is the radio guy. I’m the only one who has done both full time so it was up to me to set the pace today. I love that kind of challenge.
After the show we met up with Kipper McGee for lunch. Kipper is still trying to sell us to a distributor for a syndicated show and we’ve gotten some nibbles apparently. That’s a long shot and we all know it but we’re in the machine and that means we have a chance.
Lisa Greene also joined us. Lisa is a veteran Chicago radio talent and is between jobs as so many good people are right now. She came to see me a Zanies a while back and we’ve kept in touch. She’s extremely professional and is looking to get back in the business so I thought it would be good for her to mingle with Kipper and also get to meet the Kidders.
We don’t have any female voices right now but at some point we might need one. Lisa is a pro and a sweetheart too and we all got along splendidly at lunch. Kipper is working a lot of angles and he has to make a living since getting dumped at WLS. He’s one of an all too tiny pool of radio people I trust but he loves the Kidders and I know he’ll do us right.
We’re starting to build our team of quality people around us and that’s what will put us over the top ultimately. We’re funny enough on the air and we’ve proven it on two major Chicago radio stations going on two years now. The real secret is how we sell ourselves.
Are we always brilliant? Of course not. Nobody is. What we are is consistent in how we go about our business and we show up each week prepared to provide content for the time we’re on the air. Some weeks have been better than others but as a whole this is a winner.
People with reputations as solid as Kipper McGee backing us don’t hurt one bit. We are also on one of the biggest radio stations in America and every time we go on the air it’s a notch in our credibility belt. These are all things that rank a lot higher than being funny.
As we keep improving hopefully we’ll keep building a larger following and eventually be able to do live shows in theatres rather than have to scrape the comedy club goo out of the bottom of that barrel. We’re all way over that. This is our ray of hope and we know it.
Basically what we’ve got now is a weekly half hour commercial in place to eventually sell something to those who like what we do. That product could be a live show or maybe a tangible item like a book or CD or anything else we can come up with. How can we get the very most out of it? That’s what we kicked around at lunch and all of us contributed.
After lunch it was a lot later than I thought but I promised I’d attend ‘Hearse Fest’ that was being put on by my Mothership Connection co-host Dr. Destruction. The Doc is one of the hardest working and most naturally talented people I know and the more I’m a part of his world the more I respect and admire the guy. He’s loaded with all kinds of abilities.
Not only is he a fantastic artist and painter but he also heads up a punk rock band called “The Dead Leathers“. I’ve heard him speak of the band for a while now and today was the first time they’d played in many years apparently. I told him I’d be there for it and I didn’t want to go back on my word so even though I was tired I headed up to see the big shindig.
Unfortunately there was only ONE hearse that showed up for the fest. Can a ‘fest’ have only one participant in it? I felt bad for the Doc but he wasn’t upset about it at all. He had his punk rock crowd out there and there were bands playing and booths set up with things for sale like monster masks and the people who were there all seemed to be having fun.
The bar was called Kelly’s and they had delicious food so I got a plate of lobster ravioli and watched the Dead Leathers perform. Dr. D is very good on stage and he sang the lead and played guitar and was very entertaining to watch. I wish the crowd was a lot bigger.
On the way home I decided to check out the Packer game at the Brat Stop for a little bit. I live just over the border in Illinois and don’t get Wisconsin TV stations so watching the Packers on local TV is a hassle. I sat there cheering for an exhibition game and I knew my addiction was still there. No matter how hard I try I can’t seem to break my Packer habit.
They looked really strong and even though the game didn’t count there was a whole bar full of people cheering when the Packers did something good, which was often. I scanned the whole place and saw people of all ages dressed in their Green jerseys and realized I’m not alone. Whatever drug the NFL is selling is one I want to hook people on in the future.
I didn’t stay for the end of the game and on my way home I passed a theatre which isn’t far from where I live and they were showing Quentin Tarantino’s new movie ‘Inglourious Basterds’. I’d heard so much about it I knew I had to see it before others ruined it for me.
I’ve always liked Tarantino’s movies for the most part even though they can be over the top at times. I was a fan of Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown but I never understood the Kill Bill movies at all. He sure has been able to attract a lot of attention.
I thought his latest movie was interesting and it has some amazing scenes in it but I was not blown away with it like I was with say a Pulp Fiction. But what the hell do I know? In my mind Dr. Destruction should be directing movies. His talent always blows me away.
Busy from sunup to sundown today. I didn’t get to bed until 6am because I was working on Jerry’s Kidders bits and needed to finish up. I got right back up at 8:00 and it reminded me of one of the good things about not being in morning radio anymore. The hours stink.
I’d much rather be pooped but prepared than go in the studio and waste everyone’s time as I easily could have done. I respect Jerry too much and he’s putting his neck out by even having us on at all. WGN is a major radio station and I’m very fortunate to have a regular weekly slot on it. The least I can do is give my best effort. Plus, we were short a Kidder.
Tim Slagle had to attend a funeral in Michigan on short notice so we had a short crew. I felt I needed to be the anchor today because Ken Sevara’s strength isn’t necessarily on the radio side. Tim and Ken are both comics. Jerry is the radio guy. I’m the only one who has done both full time so it was up to me to set the pace today. I love that kind of challenge.
After the show we met up with Kipper McGee for lunch. Kipper is still trying to sell us to a distributor for a syndicated show and we’ve gotten some nibbles apparently. That’s a long shot and we all know it but we’re in the machine and that means we have a chance.
Lisa Greene also joined us. Lisa is a veteran Chicago radio talent and is between jobs as so many good people are right now. She came to see me a Zanies a while back and we’ve kept in touch. She’s extremely professional and is looking to get back in the business so I thought it would be good for her to mingle with Kipper and also get to meet the Kidders.
We don’t have any female voices right now but at some point we might need one. Lisa is a pro and a sweetheart too and we all got along splendidly at lunch. Kipper is working a lot of angles and he has to make a living since getting dumped at WLS. He’s one of an all too tiny pool of radio people I trust but he loves the Kidders and I know he’ll do us right.
We’re starting to build our team of quality people around us and that’s what will put us over the top ultimately. We’re funny enough on the air and we’ve proven it on two major Chicago radio stations going on two years now. The real secret is how we sell ourselves.
Are we always brilliant? Of course not. Nobody is. What we are is consistent in how we go about our business and we show up each week prepared to provide content for the time we’re on the air. Some weeks have been better than others but as a whole this is a winner.
People with reputations as solid as Kipper McGee backing us don’t hurt one bit. We are also on one of the biggest radio stations in America and every time we go on the air it’s a notch in our credibility belt. These are all things that rank a lot higher than being funny.
As we keep improving hopefully we’ll keep building a larger following and eventually be able to do live shows in theatres rather than have to scrape the comedy club goo out of the bottom of that barrel. We’re all way over that. This is our ray of hope and we know it.
Basically what we’ve got now is a weekly half hour commercial in place to eventually sell something to those who like what we do. That product could be a live show or maybe a tangible item like a book or CD or anything else we can come up with. How can we get the very most out of it? That’s what we kicked around at lunch and all of us contributed.
After lunch it was a lot later than I thought but I promised I’d attend ‘Hearse Fest’ that was being put on by my Mothership Connection co-host Dr. Destruction. The Doc is one of the hardest working and most naturally talented people I know and the more I’m a part of his world the more I respect and admire the guy. He’s loaded with all kinds of abilities.
Not only is he a fantastic artist and painter but he also heads up a punk rock band called “The Dead Leathers“. I’ve heard him speak of the band for a while now and today was the first time they’d played in many years apparently. I told him I’d be there for it and I didn’t want to go back on my word so even though I was tired I headed up to see the big shindig.
Unfortunately there was only ONE hearse that showed up for the fest. Can a ‘fest’ have only one participant in it? I felt bad for the Doc but he wasn’t upset about it at all. He had his punk rock crowd out there and there were bands playing and booths set up with things for sale like monster masks and the people who were there all seemed to be having fun.
The bar was called Kelly’s and they had delicious food so I got a plate of lobster ravioli and watched the Dead Leathers perform. Dr. D is very good on stage and he sang the lead and played guitar and was very entertaining to watch. I wish the crowd was a lot bigger.
On the way home I decided to check out the Packer game at the Brat Stop for a little bit. I live just over the border in Illinois and don’t get Wisconsin TV stations so watching the Packers on local TV is a hassle. I sat there cheering for an exhibition game and I knew my addiction was still there. No matter how hard I try I can’t seem to break my Packer habit.
They looked really strong and even though the game didn’t count there was a whole bar full of people cheering when the Packers did something good, which was often. I scanned the whole place and saw people of all ages dressed in their Green jerseys and realized I’m not alone. Whatever drug the NFL is selling is one I want to hook people on in the future.
I didn’t stay for the end of the game and on my way home I passed a theatre which isn’t far from where I live and they were showing Quentin Tarantino’s new movie ‘Inglourious Basterds’. I’d heard so much about it I knew I had to see it before others ruined it for me.
I’ve always liked Tarantino’s movies for the most part even though they can be over the top at times. I was a fan of Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown but I never understood the Kill Bill movies at all. He sure has been able to attract a lot of attention.
I thought his latest movie was interesting and it has some amazing scenes in it but I was not blown away with it like I was with say a Pulp Fiction. But what the hell do I know? In my mind Dr. Destruction should be directing movies. His talent always blows me away.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Hollywood Calls Again
Friday August 21st, 2009 - Niles, IL/McHenry, IL
Just when I thought nothing else could surprise me, I got a call today from a guy named Eric in Los Angeles asking me to fly out next Tuesday to film an episode of the TV show ‘Comics Unleashed’ hosted by Byron Allen. Without a flicker of hesitation I said I would.
I guess when it rains it pours but I’m not complaining at all. ANY national television is helpful, except for maybe an obituary on CNN. My friend Jeff Wayne gave me Eric’s info even before I was accepted to be on The Late Late Show and I’ve been emailing him for a while now. I hadn’t gotten a booking but I was on his list so I kept following instructions.
From time to time he’d send out mass emails with booking dates and asked for updated avails. It’s always a good idea to be available for a national TV show even if a previously booked club date has to be cancelled. Most clubs will understand and adjust the schedule but if they don’t it’s still a risk worth taking because TV credits are much harder to get.
I received another email just last week and it said the next round of taping was going to be coming up this Wednesday August 26th and I told him I was in Chicago but I’d make it out there if there was a spot for me. I didn’t think there would be but I didn’t want to pass up an opportunity just in case there was. I’d cross that bridge when I came to it. It’s here.
Eric said he’d seen my Late Late Show set and thought it was funny but also mentioned he thought it was a little one dimensional with just jokes about having bad luck. I flinched a little because that’s what I was going for but then he said he wanted me to do most of it Wednesday. I didn’t want to argue with him and I said I’d do whatever he wanted me to.
I got the sense he was looking to fill openings and the last thing I needed to do was start telling him what I thought I should be doing. He’s the producer and Jeff Wayne did a very nice thing to drop my name and give me the contact so I will show up and follow orders.
I have a ton of material and can easily come up with six minutes but Eric doesn’t know that. Not yet. If I go out there and play cowboy and do what I want it may shoot me in the foot rather than shoot me to the top. If he wants what I did on CBS that’s what I’ll do but I really didn’t have that set all that polished. I added a lot of last minute additions to it.
He asked me to send him a written out set by the end of the weekend. I will send him as close to what I did on The Late Late Show as I can and also put in a few other lines so I’ll hopefully have some leeway to ad lib if I can. That’s how I like to work and always have.
Either way, this is a major deal. My goal was to get one national TV spot this year and I was thrilled with that but two will be off the charts. I happen to like the format of Comics Unleashed and I think I’ll fit in splendidly. It’s almost the TV version of Jerry’s Kidders.
The hard part won’t be the show, it will be getting to L.A. and back and then Pittsburgh where I start Thursday night. It’ll be a busy week but THIS is the kind of busy I live for!
Just when I thought nothing else could surprise me, I got a call today from a guy named Eric in Los Angeles asking me to fly out next Tuesday to film an episode of the TV show ‘Comics Unleashed’ hosted by Byron Allen. Without a flicker of hesitation I said I would.
I guess when it rains it pours but I’m not complaining at all. ANY national television is helpful, except for maybe an obituary on CNN. My friend Jeff Wayne gave me Eric’s info even before I was accepted to be on The Late Late Show and I’ve been emailing him for a while now. I hadn’t gotten a booking but I was on his list so I kept following instructions.
From time to time he’d send out mass emails with booking dates and asked for updated avails. It’s always a good idea to be available for a national TV show even if a previously booked club date has to be cancelled. Most clubs will understand and adjust the schedule but if they don’t it’s still a risk worth taking because TV credits are much harder to get.
I received another email just last week and it said the next round of taping was going to be coming up this Wednesday August 26th and I told him I was in Chicago but I’d make it out there if there was a spot for me. I didn’t think there would be but I didn’t want to pass up an opportunity just in case there was. I’d cross that bridge when I came to it. It’s here.
Eric said he’d seen my Late Late Show set and thought it was funny but also mentioned he thought it was a little one dimensional with just jokes about having bad luck. I flinched a little because that’s what I was going for but then he said he wanted me to do most of it Wednesday. I didn’t want to argue with him and I said I’d do whatever he wanted me to.
I got the sense he was looking to fill openings and the last thing I needed to do was start telling him what I thought I should be doing. He’s the producer and Jeff Wayne did a very nice thing to drop my name and give me the contact so I will show up and follow orders.
I have a ton of material and can easily come up with six minutes but Eric doesn’t know that. Not yet. If I go out there and play cowboy and do what I want it may shoot me in the foot rather than shoot me to the top. If he wants what I did on CBS that’s what I’ll do but I really didn’t have that set all that polished. I added a lot of last minute additions to it.
He asked me to send him a written out set by the end of the weekend. I will send him as close to what I did on The Late Late Show as I can and also put in a few other lines so I’ll hopefully have some leeway to ad lib if I can. That’s how I like to work and always have.
Either way, this is a major deal. My goal was to get one national TV spot this year and I was thrilled with that but two will be off the charts. I happen to like the format of Comics Unleashed and I think I’ll fit in splendidly. It’s almost the TV version of Jerry’s Kidders.
The hard part won’t be the show, it will be getting to L.A. and back and then Pittsburgh where I start Thursday night. It’ll be a busy week but THIS is the kind of busy I live for!
Mind vs. Grind
Thursday August 20th, 2009 - Lake Villa, IL
I don’t think people realize just how much of a grind being a full time comedian can be. No, I know they don’t realize. Nor do they care. To the average person comedy seems like a dream job, and in many ways it truly is, but that doesn’t mean hard work isn’t required.
There’s always something that needs to be done and when that gets done something else is in shambles and needs immediate attention. When the act is in a groove that’s when the business can slow down and when there’s a lot of work many times the act gets neglected.
Working everything together in the correct dosage is about as difficult as it can get but then try to add on a normal life and the odds of total success in all areas are astronomical. Sometimes the big picture can really get overwhelming so today I tried to break it down.
What do I really need to do every single day without fail? That’s a tough question. I’ve been a comedian long enough that I really don’t need to work on my act every day unless I want it to grow and expand and constantly improve. I absolutely do want that personally but it really isn’t necessary. I’m funny enough and I can get booked with the act I have.
As an artist and creative person those words are blasphemous but as a business person it makes perfect sense. I have 25 years of experience on stage as a comedian and not a lot of on stage situations could throw me at this point. I can go in and deliver the goods nightly.
What I really need is to get into better circles of people who book better gigs. It doesn’t do me much good to keep improving my act if I don’t work in better places. I want to get back on TV many times because I know I have enough material to do it and do it right.
I want to work Las Vegas and in theatres and in the top comedy clubs as a special event on a Friday and Saturday. I know I have the act to pull it off so I really don’t have to work on that at all unfortunately. WANTING to is optional. Needing to is not required. I’m at a place few people ever get performance wise but it doesn’t matter if nobody’s heard of me.
This is totally not what I want to hear but it’s the absolute truth. It’s all I could think of as I folded my piping hot clothes fresh out of the dryer at the Laundromat this afternoon. I am way above where I need to be as an act and way below where I need to be in business. The problem is I love to work on my act and the business is a chore. That needs to evolve.
I also need to get back in the groove with comedy classes. Cyndi Nelson is the manager of Zanies in the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, IL and she reminded me that classes are scheduled to start soon and she asked me for information on them. Time is flying as it always does and I hadn’t gotten her that information yet so I spent time and did it right.
I have an opportunity to make these classes really great and that will take a major effort. I need a team around me to help and that’s another thing I worked on today. I’ve got a lot of stuff in the oven and I have to be careful how I handle it or all of it will burn to a crisp.
I don’t think people realize just how much of a grind being a full time comedian can be. No, I know they don’t realize. Nor do they care. To the average person comedy seems like a dream job, and in many ways it truly is, but that doesn’t mean hard work isn’t required.
There’s always something that needs to be done and when that gets done something else is in shambles and needs immediate attention. When the act is in a groove that’s when the business can slow down and when there’s a lot of work many times the act gets neglected.
Working everything together in the correct dosage is about as difficult as it can get but then try to add on a normal life and the odds of total success in all areas are astronomical. Sometimes the big picture can really get overwhelming so today I tried to break it down.
What do I really need to do every single day without fail? That’s a tough question. I’ve been a comedian long enough that I really don’t need to work on my act every day unless I want it to grow and expand and constantly improve. I absolutely do want that personally but it really isn’t necessary. I’m funny enough and I can get booked with the act I have.
As an artist and creative person those words are blasphemous but as a business person it makes perfect sense. I have 25 years of experience on stage as a comedian and not a lot of on stage situations could throw me at this point. I can go in and deliver the goods nightly.
What I really need is to get into better circles of people who book better gigs. It doesn’t do me much good to keep improving my act if I don’t work in better places. I want to get back on TV many times because I know I have enough material to do it and do it right.
I want to work Las Vegas and in theatres and in the top comedy clubs as a special event on a Friday and Saturday. I know I have the act to pull it off so I really don’t have to work on that at all unfortunately. WANTING to is optional. Needing to is not required. I’m at a place few people ever get performance wise but it doesn’t matter if nobody’s heard of me.
This is totally not what I want to hear but it’s the absolute truth. It’s all I could think of as I folded my piping hot clothes fresh out of the dryer at the Laundromat this afternoon. I am way above where I need to be as an act and way below where I need to be in business. The problem is I love to work on my act and the business is a chore. That needs to evolve.
I also need to get back in the groove with comedy classes. Cyndi Nelson is the manager of Zanies in the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, IL and she reminded me that classes are scheduled to start soon and she asked me for information on them. Time is flying as it always does and I hadn’t gotten her that information yet so I spent time and did it right.
I have an opportunity to make these classes really great and that will take a major effort. I need a team around me to help and that’s another thing I worked on today. I’ve got a lot of stuff in the oven and I have to be careful how I handle it or all of it will burn to a crisp.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
My First Death Threat
Wednesday August 19th, 2009 - Lake Villa, IL
Well, it looks like I’m FINALLY starting to climb the golden ladder of big time success in show business! I know that because I received my very first death threat in a disjointed email today written by a psychotic imbecile with atrocious grammar skills. It was a poorly worded rant on about a third grade level and apparently capitalization wasn’t a priority.
I’ve always heard a person hasn’t really arrived in the entertainment business until hate mail and death threats start coming in and I’ve already had my share of hate mail. When I first started doing mornings on 97.9 ‘The Loop’ in Chicago I used to get all kinds of radio critics firing off emails with brilliant content like ‘You SUCK’ or ‘You REALLY suck.’
Most of those were just blue collar rock apes blowing off steam. I used to answer most of them back and try to be funny and self effacing. Some of them got pretty nasty and that was fun for me because I love vaporizing hecklers and that was like electronic heckling.
One of the recipients of my scathing wit took the time to forward my retorts to my boss and I got yelled at for it even though he thought they were hilarious. Our owners weren’t too keen on getting in the face of our customers so I had to stop it or face losing my job.
After a few weeks the hate mail stopped and the fan mail started, some of which I’ll still get to this day. That’s how radio is and it’s a matter of what people are used to. I’ve had a lot of hate mail at most of the stations I’ve worked but then when I get fired I seem to get fan mail telling the station they blew it. It never got me hired back but I’m still grateful.
This one was different. It was sent on an address which uses my name and that doesn’t sound kosher to me. Then it said to “get a life” followed immediately by “kill yourself“. That’s a tiny bit confusing because I couldn’t do both. I’d have to choose one or the other.
Then it got a little more direct and said things like “i’m watching you” and “watch your back”, none of it in capital letters or punctuated in any way. This kind of thing is probably mindless psychobabble babbled by a mindless psycho but I really don’t appreciate the fact that my name is being used as his moniker on the outgoing email address. It needs to stop.
I have WAY better things to do than deal with this kind of infantile prattle but when it’s a veiled threat I think I need to put it out there so if I do take a bullet to the chest after my next show a few clues will already be in place. I have no idea if this is serious or a joke.
If it is a joke I don’t find it funny. At first I thought it was my ex business partner doing it to get under my skin but at least he knows how to use English as his first language. This bonehead has the creative writing skills of Paris Hilton’s lap dog. I just want it all to end.
But it probably won’t. I will leave it alone and not fan any flames but if it continues I’ll have no choice but to call the police and deal with it that way. It’s amazing that anyone on Earth would want to pose as ME. What kind of halfwit would do THAT? A clueless one.
Well, it looks like I’m FINALLY starting to climb the golden ladder of big time success in show business! I know that because I received my very first death threat in a disjointed email today written by a psychotic imbecile with atrocious grammar skills. It was a poorly worded rant on about a third grade level and apparently capitalization wasn’t a priority.
I’ve always heard a person hasn’t really arrived in the entertainment business until hate mail and death threats start coming in and I’ve already had my share of hate mail. When I first started doing mornings on 97.9 ‘The Loop’ in Chicago I used to get all kinds of radio critics firing off emails with brilliant content like ‘You SUCK’ or ‘You REALLY suck.’
Most of those were just blue collar rock apes blowing off steam. I used to answer most of them back and try to be funny and self effacing. Some of them got pretty nasty and that was fun for me because I love vaporizing hecklers and that was like electronic heckling.
One of the recipients of my scathing wit took the time to forward my retorts to my boss and I got yelled at for it even though he thought they were hilarious. Our owners weren’t too keen on getting in the face of our customers so I had to stop it or face losing my job.
After a few weeks the hate mail stopped and the fan mail started, some of which I’ll still get to this day. That’s how radio is and it’s a matter of what people are used to. I’ve had a lot of hate mail at most of the stations I’ve worked but then when I get fired I seem to get fan mail telling the station they blew it. It never got me hired back but I’m still grateful.
This one was different. It was sent on an address which uses my name and that doesn’t sound kosher to me. Then it said to “get a life” followed immediately by “kill yourself“. That’s a tiny bit confusing because I couldn’t do both. I’d have to choose one or the other.
Then it got a little more direct and said things like “i’m watching you” and “watch your back”, none of it in capital letters or punctuated in any way. This kind of thing is probably mindless psychobabble babbled by a mindless psycho but I really don’t appreciate the fact that my name is being used as his moniker on the outgoing email address. It needs to stop.
I have WAY better things to do than deal with this kind of infantile prattle but when it’s a veiled threat I think I need to put it out there so if I do take a bullet to the chest after my next show a few clues will already be in place. I have no idea if this is serious or a joke.
If it is a joke I don’t find it funny. At first I thought it was my ex business partner doing it to get under my skin but at least he knows how to use English as his first language. This bonehead has the creative writing skills of Paris Hilton’s lap dog. I just want it all to end.
But it probably won’t. I will leave it alone and not fan any flames but if it continues I’ll have no choice but to call the police and deal with it that way. It’s amazing that anyone on Earth would want to pose as ME. What kind of halfwit would do THAT? A clueless one.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Grilling A Brettwurst
Tuesday August 18th, 2009 - Lake Villa, IL
Brett Favre has decided to make the world a better place and play QB for the Minnesota Vikings after all. He will grace us with his presence so we can all bask in the gloriousness of the perpetually pampered Prince of Pigskin one more time, this time in a purple jersey.
My aching arse. Sarcasm doesn’t come across in print as well as is does in person but it sure didn’t surprise me when I heard about old B.F.’s latest round of B.S. this morning. It actually made me laugh because I predicted it a few weeks ago at his latest ‘retirement‘.
I have a bet of a steak dinner going with one of the bartenders at Zanies in Chicago that says the Green Bay Packers will have a better record than the Minnesota Vikings this year assuming that Favre should indeed sign with the hated purple posse. She blindly loves the unshaven lout and defends him to the death, even now that he has officially turned on her.
She and I have been going back and forth with emails and she thought the bet was over. Ha! Not a chance. I told her that he would come slithering out of his hole and ooze out of Mississippi and up to Minnesota just in time for the season to start so he gets to miss out on the rigors of training camp. She swore that I was wrong but now she’s just swearing.
Her name is Jackie and she’s a sweetheart of a person and very intelligent and we have always gotten along very well. She always said she was a Packer fan and we bonded with that, especially both living in Illinois, but it turned out she was mainly a Brett Favre fan.
When this whole circus started with him and the Packers, Jackie and I got into some fun but heated ‘discussions’ at Zanies and people would back away and let us go at it because they could see how passionate each one of us was about it. Neither one of us backed away from our points of view, and still won’t. Jackie blindly worships that selfish ass. I don’t.
My web person Shelley is just the opposite. She was in the blind worship camp for most of this scenario but said that if he ever signed with the Vikings, he would be ‘dead to her’. She’s the one who informed me about it this morning and in fact woke me up to do so.
What really infuriates me about all of this is that Jackie and Shelley are very nice ladies and there are millions more like them who would have had sex with Brett Favre any time, anyplace and anywhere, including right in front of their husbands and children. He had an entire state’s blind worship and could have had his choice of whatever a man could want.
He could have had free drinks, free meals, free room and board, as much sex as anyone could physically handle and could have sped all he wanted and never gotten a ticket in the state of Wisconsin. He had it all before age 40 and could have been King of Cheeseland.
Instead, he had to be a greedy selfish hillbilly and turn his back on those who pampered him and blindly turned their backs on all his faults and that’s just not right in my opinion. Am I jealous? Damn right I am. Every guy wants what Brett Favre has. And he blew it.
Brett Favre has decided to make the world a better place and play QB for the Minnesota Vikings after all. He will grace us with his presence so we can all bask in the gloriousness of the perpetually pampered Prince of Pigskin one more time, this time in a purple jersey.
My aching arse. Sarcasm doesn’t come across in print as well as is does in person but it sure didn’t surprise me when I heard about old B.F.’s latest round of B.S. this morning. It actually made me laugh because I predicted it a few weeks ago at his latest ‘retirement‘.
I have a bet of a steak dinner going with one of the bartenders at Zanies in Chicago that says the Green Bay Packers will have a better record than the Minnesota Vikings this year assuming that Favre should indeed sign with the hated purple posse. She blindly loves the unshaven lout and defends him to the death, even now that he has officially turned on her.
She and I have been going back and forth with emails and she thought the bet was over. Ha! Not a chance. I told her that he would come slithering out of his hole and ooze out of Mississippi and up to Minnesota just in time for the season to start so he gets to miss out on the rigors of training camp. She swore that I was wrong but now she’s just swearing.
Her name is Jackie and she’s a sweetheart of a person and very intelligent and we have always gotten along very well. She always said she was a Packer fan and we bonded with that, especially both living in Illinois, but it turned out she was mainly a Brett Favre fan.
When this whole circus started with him and the Packers, Jackie and I got into some fun but heated ‘discussions’ at Zanies and people would back away and let us go at it because they could see how passionate each one of us was about it. Neither one of us backed away from our points of view, and still won’t. Jackie blindly worships that selfish ass. I don’t.
My web person Shelley is just the opposite. She was in the blind worship camp for most of this scenario but said that if he ever signed with the Vikings, he would be ‘dead to her’. She’s the one who informed me about it this morning and in fact woke me up to do so.
What really infuriates me about all of this is that Jackie and Shelley are very nice ladies and there are millions more like them who would have had sex with Brett Favre any time, anyplace and anywhere, including right in front of their husbands and children. He had an entire state’s blind worship and could have had his choice of whatever a man could want.
He could have had free drinks, free meals, free room and board, as much sex as anyone could physically handle and could have sped all he wanted and never gotten a ticket in the state of Wisconsin. He had it all before age 40 and could have been King of Cheeseland.
Instead, he had to be a greedy selfish hillbilly and turn his back on those who pampered him and blindly turned their backs on all his faults and that’s just not right in my opinion. Am I jealous? Damn right I am. Every guy wants what Brett Favre has. And he blew it.
A Whole Lot Of Nothing
Monday August 17th, 2009 - Lake Villa, IL
I did absolutely nothing today to make my quality of life improve one iota. Bupkus. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada. I didn’t even think about it. I had a good old fashioned day off to hang out and waste in any way I pleased. That doesn’t happen often so I enjoyed every minute.
There was no showcase at Zanies in Chicago tonight and Bill Gorgo had to report back to his regular teaching job to prepare for the school year so I canceled comedy class for a week so I could save the hassle of driving into the city. All signs pointed to taking a little time off to recharge the batteries so that’s what I chose. I’m glad I did. I needed a break.
I don’t have any shows booked for this week but that doesn’t mean I won’t be working. Just the opposite. I’ll be working extremely hard at catching up on everything I’ve let get away from me in the last few months and I’ll have all I can handle to make any progress.
A professional comedian wears many hats and the funny one isn’t always the one that’s needed. That’s always our favorite but there’s also the business side of it too. We need to get work and promote ourselves and make travel arrangements and pay taxes. We have to divide our time into segments so we can include it all, even the stuff that isn’t enjoyable.
That’s the hard part. Who the hell wants to sort tax receipts? It’s also no picnic to have to grovel to idiot club owners and bookers for work. Are they ALL idiots? Of course not, but a large percentage of them are, at least when it comes to comedy. They have no clue.
On the other hand, I am an idiot too when it comes to the business side of it. I’ve never had an interest in that and neither do most other comedians. I’ll admit I’m a moron when it comes to finding the best venues and that’s why comedians and bookers have the rocky relationship we do. We’re on different wavelengths and don’t have the same goals at all.
Most comedians either want to be great creative artists or avoid gainful employment by finding something to finance their perpetual party habit. Comedy is the perfect solution as it allows 23 hours of free time between actual work time to fill with any vices imaginable.
Those that are serious spend those 23 hours making their onstage craft better. They look for ways to improve their act but rarely if ever do they work at improving aspects of their off stage life like marketing themselves or learning how to operate a legitimate business.
Bookers and agents fill holes. Venues need entertainment and bookers fill those holes at what often times appears to be random. I still can’t figure out the logic of most bookers as to how they think when they put shows together so maybe I’ll have to change hats now.
None of that was for today though. Once in a while it’s refreshing to take a day and be a bum. I’ll get up tomorrow and start looking for ways to slay the dragon again but for now it feels good to relax and recharge. I already feel a lot less stressed than I did all last week so maybe I’ll pick right up where I left off and get back in a creative groove. I love those.
I did absolutely nothing today to make my quality of life improve one iota. Bupkus. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada. I didn’t even think about it. I had a good old fashioned day off to hang out and waste in any way I pleased. That doesn’t happen often so I enjoyed every minute.
There was no showcase at Zanies in Chicago tonight and Bill Gorgo had to report back to his regular teaching job to prepare for the school year so I canceled comedy class for a week so I could save the hassle of driving into the city. All signs pointed to taking a little time off to recharge the batteries so that’s what I chose. I’m glad I did. I needed a break.
I don’t have any shows booked for this week but that doesn’t mean I won’t be working. Just the opposite. I’ll be working extremely hard at catching up on everything I’ve let get away from me in the last few months and I’ll have all I can handle to make any progress.
A professional comedian wears many hats and the funny one isn’t always the one that’s needed. That’s always our favorite but there’s also the business side of it too. We need to get work and promote ourselves and make travel arrangements and pay taxes. We have to divide our time into segments so we can include it all, even the stuff that isn’t enjoyable.
That’s the hard part. Who the hell wants to sort tax receipts? It’s also no picnic to have to grovel to idiot club owners and bookers for work. Are they ALL idiots? Of course not, but a large percentage of them are, at least when it comes to comedy. They have no clue.
On the other hand, I am an idiot too when it comes to the business side of it. I’ve never had an interest in that and neither do most other comedians. I’ll admit I’m a moron when it comes to finding the best venues and that’s why comedians and bookers have the rocky relationship we do. We’re on different wavelengths and don’t have the same goals at all.
Most comedians either want to be great creative artists or avoid gainful employment by finding something to finance their perpetual party habit. Comedy is the perfect solution as it allows 23 hours of free time between actual work time to fill with any vices imaginable.
Those that are serious spend those 23 hours making their onstage craft better. They look for ways to improve their act but rarely if ever do they work at improving aspects of their off stage life like marketing themselves or learning how to operate a legitimate business.
Bookers and agents fill holes. Venues need entertainment and bookers fill those holes at what often times appears to be random. I still can’t figure out the logic of most bookers as to how they think when they put shows together so maybe I’ll have to change hats now.
None of that was for today though. Once in a while it’s refreshing to take a day and be a bum. I’ll get up tomorrow and start looking for ways to slay the dragon again but for now it feels good to relax and recharge. I already feel a lot less stressed than I did all last week so maybe I’ll pick right up where I left off and get back in a creative groove. I love those.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Sports Cards And Tarot Cards
Sunday August 16th, 2009 - West Allis, WI/Kenosha, WI
I wanted to get as far away from anything comedy related today so that’s just what I did. Luckily today was the date of the once a month sports card show at Gonzaga Hall in West Allis, WI. If there was ever a day I could use a little escape for a few hours, today was it.
My friends Richard and Dennis had tables set up so I sat with them and hung out. I love to look at old cards and both of those guys have some killer inventory. The best feature of Gonzaga is that usually nobody talks about anything but cards. It’s great. I don’t see most of these people anywhere else and when we do interact it’s about the hobby exclusively.
Today was different. Several of the regulars I know by face but seldom if ever speak to more than nod hello came up and either congratulated me on my TV appearance or asked what it was like. A few even tried to tell me jokes but I was polite and listened all the way through and pretended like I didn’t know the punch line. I appreciated the fact they tried.
I didn’t mention I was going to be on to anyone but word somehow got out and people I really don’t know all that well shook my hand and were genuinely impressed. How great does that feel? Many said they’ve heard me on The D-List on ESPN 540 and quoted lines I’d said on the air. I was really flattered to get the royal treatment when I didn’t expect it.
We were also still in our groove from last week on The Mothership Connection show in Kenosha tonight on AM 1050 WLIP. Scott Markus was able to hang around for one more week and he packed the first hour with guests. Then we had Jonna The Happy Medium in studio for the rest of the show along with one of my comedy students named Grey Dolan.
I met Jonna a few years ago in Rockford when we both were on the Stone and Double T radio show. We’ve stayed in touch and she’s been a phone guest several times but coming on live is always better. You can peruse her website at www.jonnathehappymedium.com.
Grey Dolan fit as well. She reads tarot cards and together her and Jonna were right on it when callers called. We had quite a few new callers and that means people are listening to us. I can feel a chemistry building between all of us and tonight was another fun program.
I needed to have some fun today and both events didn’t disappoint. I was really tired as I got home but I signed on to check emails and saw that I received one from Miss Roberts my ex librarian friend. She commented that she too had felt the middle act this week was vulgar and disgusting and that really made me feel embarrassed. This thing just won’t die.
What it boils down to is acting in a professional manor. There can be a time and a place for humor ranging from racy to spicy to raunchy to even filthy but it has to be in a setting where people know what they’re getting. Then they can’t complain. They were warned.
This is a big reason why corporate gigs are so difficult to get. People fear the show will be dirty and after this week I can see why. From now on I will pay more attention to this.
I wanted to get as far away from anything comedy related today so that’s just what I did. Luckily today was the date of the once a month sports card show at Gonzaga Hall in West Allis, WI. If there was ever a day I could use a little escape for a few hours, today was it.
My friends Richard and Dennis had tables set up so I sat with them and hung out. I love to look at old cards and both of those guys have some killer inventory. The best feature of Gonzaga is that usually nobody talks about anything but cards. It’s great. I don’t see most of these people anywhere else and when we do interact it’s about the hobby exclusively.
Today was different. Several of the regulars I know by face but seldom if ever speak to more than nod hello came up and either congratulated me on my TV appearance or asked what it was like. A few even tried to tell me jokes but I was polite and listened all the way through and pretended like I didn’t know the punch line. I appreciated the fact they tried.
I didn’t mention I was going to be on to anyone but word somehow got out and people I really don’t know all that well shook my hand and were genuinely impressed. How great does that feel? Many said they’ve heard me on The D-List on ESPN 540 and quoted lines I’d said on the air. I was really flattered to get the royal treatment when I didn’t expect it.
We were also still in our groove from last week on The Mothership Connection show in Kenosha tonight on AM 1050 WLIP. Scott Markus was able to hang around for one more week and he packed the first hour with guests. Then we had Jonna The Happy Medium in studio for the rest of the show along with one of my comedy students named Grey Dolan.
I met Jonna a few years ago in Rockford when we both were on the Stone and Double T radio show. We’ve stayed in touch and she’s been a phone guest several times but coming on live is always better. You can peruse her website at www.jonnathehappymedium.com.
Grey Dolan fit as well. She reads tarot cards and together her and Jonna were right on it when callers called. We had quite a few new callers and that means people are listening to us. I can feel a chemistry building between all of us and tonight was another fun program.
I needed to have some fun today and both events didn’t disappoint. I was really tired as I got home but I signed on to check emails and saw that I received one from Miss Roberts my ex librarian friend. She commented that she too had felt the middle act this week was vulgar and disgusting and that really made me feel embarrassed. This thing just won’t die.
What it boils down to is acting in a professional manor. There can be a time and a place for humor ranging from racy to spicy to raunchy to even filthy but it has to be in a setting where people know what they’re getting. Then they can’t complain. They were warned.
This is a big reason why corporate gigs are so difficult to get. People fear the show will be dirty and after this week I can see why. From now on I will pay more attention to this.
Facts In Black And White
Saturday August 15th, 2009 - Brookfield, WI
I couldn’t be happier this week of torture is finally OVER. Whatever lessons I may have needed to learn are not yet sinking in. All I feel is a thick emptiness inside combined with strong feelings of disappointment and frustration thrown in to make it really sting. This is not at all what I expected to be dealing with three weeks after appearing on network TV.
Every aspect of this weekend’s experience was unacceptable except the audience for the first show tonight. There were maybe 100 but they were spread out very strategically as to appear it was packed. Seating a room is a subtle skill. It’s like an audience’s comb over.
The middle act again didn’t have a clue as to where the line was and crossed it as much as any middle act I’ve seen in quite a long time. Normally I don’t point fingers but I’m as frustrated as I’ve ever been with a booker for booking someone like that in front of me. It really does make everyone’s job harder. If I had my way I’d have had him just go home.
Instead, he dug me two cavernous holes I had to climb out of but I came out swinging in the first show. It’s my job to grab a crowd by the throat and take them wherever I feel like taking them. I didn’t like where they had been so I had to bring them over into my world.
One factor that could have gone either way is right up front in the first row there was a large party of about twenty people who happened to be black. Any large party in a smaller crowd is an important factor because how they respond goes the show. It’s majority rule.
Many times a large party can disrupt the entire show. Bachelorette parties are infamous for it and most comedians wince when we see them walking in. They’re usually drunk by the time the show starts so when I get up there it’s a free for all combat zone. NOT fun.
Even when the large group is into the show it can present problems because there is also the rest of the audience to entertain as well. Sometimes there are private jokes or someone wants the comedians to “Make fun of Hank” but nobody else knows or cares who that is.
Tonight’s group was fantastic. I happen to really enjoy working for black audiences that are a little older and smart because they really pop when they love a show. They laugh out loud and clap and they like to add comments during the show but it’s not mean spirited or heckling. That’s just how they tend to be quite often and I like it a lot. I can roll with it.
People feel uncomfortable talking about differences in certain audiences but it’s fact so why avoid it? Stereotypes wouldn’t be stereotypes if there isn’t at least a thread of truth in there somewhere. Southern audiences tend to be dumb. Sorry, that’s just how it is. I spent my whole life putting theory into practice and I don’t see a change coming any time soon.
East coast audiences tend to be impatient and will heckle if they don’t like a show. I’ve experienced it too often to deny it happens. Black audiences have their own rules and it’s a fact of performing life. Many black comics completely alter their show to fit the crowd.
Some are not able to work both ’urban’ and ’mainstream’ audiences which is just a nice way of saying ’black’ or ’white’ in a different way. It seems to scare people but there’s no reason for it. People are people deep down, it’s just that some of us have different flavors.
I grew up around black people and went to school with them and played on sports teams with them and shared a workplace over the years. I’m extremely comfortable for the most part but nobody can deny that racial tensions do exist and always will. Ignorance has a lot to do with that but if everyone would just think a little the majority of it would go away.
The group tonight was great. They were PEOPLE who came out to see COMEDY and I happened to be the headliner and white. They happened to be a group and black. Together we clicked from the first ten seconds on stage and it was by far the best show of the week.
What made it even better was my friend Mark Krueger came out with his wife Amy and any time they come out I know I have two fans. Mark happened to be wearing a Dolemite t-shirt which is a character played by comedian Rudy Ray Moore. Rudy was an icon and a legend in black comedy and not many whities have a clue as to who he is. Mark and I do.
We both appreciate Rudy because he was an innovator. I pointed out Mark to the group and mentioned his t-shirt and they went crazy when they saw it. It was a respect thing and they all knew who Rudy Ray Moore is but to see not just one but two white guys who did too took them by surprise. I love to drop references in black crowds nobody ever expects.
What means a lot is that we all acknowledge it and accept it. THEN we can make fun of it and the laughs will be free of tension, which is exactly what happened tonight. I was on point the whole show because they let me run with it. My rhythm on stage combined with theirs as a group and we made music together. When that happens, comedy is pure magic.
After the show one of the guys in the group came over and shook my hand and said he’s a regular at Giggles but I was by far the funniest comic he’d ever seen there. He didn’t say the funniest white comic, he said the funniest comic. I told him they were the best group I had ever seen at Giggles. Period. And I meant it. They saved the week and I loved them.
Mark and Amy and I hung out after the show and I always feel pressure because Amy is always going through some kind of medical procedure and I never know how she’s doing on any given night. She is the most amazing trooper I have ever seen and I wouldn’t last a quarter of the time she has with so many health issues. I always want to do my best show.
She mentioned that the middle act was disgusting and I was very ashamed. If anyone on earth loves to laugh and are NOT prudes it’s Mark and Amy Krueger. When Amy said it I knew that I need to not let this kind of behavior continue. One goofus ruined it for many.
The second show was sparse and slow and very hard work. This is not what I want to be doing and I had a talk with the owner afterward. He wants me back and that’s nice to hear but I think I need to shoot for something much higher. This was a hint for me to move on.
I couldn’t be happier this week of torture is finally OVER. Whatever lessons I may have needed to learn are not yet sinking in. All I feel is a thick emptiness inside combined with strong feelings of disappointment and frustration thrown in to make it really sting. This is not at all what I expected to be dealing with three weeks after appearing on network TV.
Every aspect of this weekend’s experience was unacceptable except the audience for the first show tonight. There were maybe 100 but they were spread out very strategically as to appear it was packed. Seating a room is a subtle skill. It’s like an audience’s comb over.
The middle act again didn’t have a clue as to where the line was and crossed it as much as any middle act I’ve seen in quite a long time. Normally I don’t point fingers but I’m as frustrated as I’ve ever been with a booker for booking someone like that in front of me. It really does make everyone’s job harder. If I had my way I’d have had him just go home.
Instead, he dug me two cavernous holes I had to climb out of but I came out swinging in the first show. It’s my job to grab a crowd by the throat and take them wherever I feel like taking them. I didn’t like where they had been so I had to bring them over into my world.
One factor that could have gone either way is right up front in the first row there was a large party of about twenty people who happened to be black. Any large party in a smaller crowd is an important factor because how they respond goes the show. It’s majority rule.
Many times a large party can disrupt the entire show. Bachelorette parties are infamous for it and most comedians wince when we see them walking in. They’re usually drunk by the time the show starts so when I get up there it’s a free for all combat zone. NOT fun.
Even when the large group is into the show it can present problems because there is also the rest of the audience to entertain as well. Sometimes there are private jokes or someone wants the comedians to “Make fun of Hank” but nobody else knows or cares who that is.
Tonight’s group was fantastic. I happen to really enjoy working for black audiences that are a little older and smart because they really pop when they love a show. They laugh out loud and clap and they like to add comments during the show but it’s not mean spirited or heckling. That’s just how they tend to be quite often and I like it a lot. I can roll with it.
People feel uncomfortable talking about differences in certain audiences but it’s fact so why avoid it? Stereotypes wouldn’t be stereotypes if there isn’t at least a thread of truth in there somewhere. Southern audiences tend to be dumb. Sorry, that’s just how it is. I spent my whole life putting theory into practice and I don’t see a change coming any time soon.
East coast audiences tend to be impatient and will heckle if they don’t like a show. I’ve experienced it too often to deny it happens. Black audiences have their own rules and it’s a fact of performing life. Many black comics completely alter their show to fit the crowd.
Some are not able to work both ’urban’ and ’mainstream’ audiences which is just a nice way of saying ’black’ or ’white’ in a different way. It seems to scare people but there’s no reason for it. People are people deep down, it’s just that some of us have different flavors.
I grew up around black people and went to school with them and played on sports teams with them and shared a workplace over the years. I’m extremely comfortable for the most part but nobody can deny that racial tensions do exist and always will. Ignorance has a lot to do with that but if everyone would just think a little the majority of it would go away.
The group tonight was great. They were PEOPLE who came out to see COMEDY and I happened to be the headliner and white. They happened to be a group and black. Together we clicked from the first ten seconds on stage and it was by far the best show of the week.
What made it even better was my friend Mark Krueger came out with his wife Amy and any time they come out I know I have two fans. Mark happened to be wearing a Dolemite t-shirt which is a character played by comedian Rudy Ray Moore. Rudy was an icon and a legend in black comedy and not many whities have a clue as to who he is. Mark and I do.
We both appreciate Rudy because he was an innovator. I pointed out Mark to the group and mentioned his t-shirt and they went crazy when they saw it. It was a respect thing and they all knew who Rudy Ray Moore is but to see not just one but two white guys who did too took them by surprise. I love to drop references in black crowds nobody ever expects.
What means a lot is that we all acknowledge it and accept it. THEN we can make fun of it and the laughs will be free of tension, which is exactly what happened tonight. I was on point the whole show because they let me run with it. My rhythm on stage combined with theirs as a group and we made music together. When that happens, comedy is pure magic.
After the show one of the guys in the group came over and shook my hand and said he’s a regular at Giggles but I was by far the funniest comic he’d ever seen there. He didn’t say the funniest white comic, he said the funniest comic. I told him they were the best group I had ever seen at Giggles. Period. And I meant it. They saved the week and I loved them.
Mark and Amy and I hung out after the show and I always feel pressure because Amy is always going through some kind of medical procedure and I never know how she’s doing on any given night. She is the most amazing trooper I have ever seen and I wouldn’t last a quarter of the time she has with so many health issues. I always want to do my best show.
She mentioned that the middle act was disgusting and I was very ashamed. If anyone on earth loves to laugh and are NOT prudes it’s Mark and Amy Krueger. When Amy said it I knew that I need to not let this kind of behavior continue. One goofus ruined it for many.
The second show was sparse and slow and very hard work. This is not what I want to be doing and I had a talk with the owner afterward. He wants me back and that’s nice to hear but I think I need to shoot for something much higher. This was a hint for me to move on.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
A Fun Free Friday
Friday August 14th, 2009 - Brookfield, WI
I’m at a crossroads. This has been a difficult week and I need to handle things delicately to play my politics right. I’ve never been good at that before so hopefully I can reverse the trend. I don’t want to step on any toes but it won’t be easy. Feathers will surely be ruffled.
This whole situation at Giggles has not been fun. Attendance has been way down due to many reasons. Summer in general is a slow time for comedy clubs in the north but there’s also added factors like the Wisconsin State Fair, Irish Fest, the Milwaukee Brewers being in town and a Green Bay Packers preseason game tomorrow. This week is a death march.
Added on to that is the middle act this week is filthy. Period. I’m not a prude but this is uncalled for. The graphic nature of his act makes ME flinch, and that’s not easy to do. It’s amazing how many comic wannabes think that just because they don’t use ‘those words’ it’s totally ok. It isn‘t. Describing disgusting bodily functions is NOT comedy. It’s gross.
I feel like I’ve spent my entire life in vain. I should be at a point now where I get to pick who opens for me but nobody cares. I told the club owner about it and he just laughed and said “You’ll handle it. You always do.” It’s a compliment in way but not how I want one.
I want to go up there and give an audience my absolute all. If someone comes out to see me I want to make sure they never get cheated but I have to dig my way out of a big hole when opening acts go blue. One would think I’d have some control over that but I don’t.
My godmother Anita Baumann came out to see me tonight for the very first time. She’s really great and as a kid she always sent me birthday and Christmas cards and I remember it fondly. She was a sweetheart then and is now. We’ve been in contact via email but until tonight she’s never been able to come out and see me perform. Then she has to see that.
My friend Lynn Miner came out as well. He used to be a professor at Marquette and is one of the smartest and nicest people I know. He alluded to it as well. I apologized but the fact is the damage was done. They didn’t come to hear that and I was very embarrassed.
The late show was even worse. My friend Shelley’s class reunion came out and I had to dig my way out of the hole again and it was like pushing a freight train through thick mud up a hill with slippery shoes on. I was drenched in sweat when I got off stage and I had all I could do to keep the energy flowing for a full 45 minute show. This was all unnecessary.
I think I’m done as far as clubs like this go. If I’m not getting paid well and not having a good time and not getting any kind of incentive with a door deal or don’t have any control over the filthy acts that go up in front of me why the hell am I doing it at all? Beats me.
The ride home tonight was one of the longest I’ve had in recent memory. I have nothing personal against the club owners, and in fact I like them very much. I just refuse to let this kind of atmosphere perpetuate itself. If I have to get a day job I have to, but this is brutal.
I’m at a crossroads. This has been a difficult week and I need to handle things delicately to play my politics right. I’ve never been good at that before so hopefully I can reverse the trend. I don’t want to step on any toes but it won’t be easy. Feathers will surely be ruffled.
This whole situation at Giggles has not been fun. Attendance has been way down due to many reasons. Summer in general is a slow time for comedy clubs in the north but there’s also added factors like the Wisconsin State Fair, Irish Fest, the Milwaukee Brewers being in town and a Green Bay Packers preseason game tomorrow. This week is a death march.
Added on to that is the middle act this week is filthy. Period. I’m not a prude but this is uncalled for. The graphic nature of his act makes ME flinch, and that’s not easy to do. It’s amazing how many comic wannabes think that just because they don’t use ‘those words’ it’s totally ok. It isn‘t. Describing disgusting bodily functions is NOT comedy. It’s gross.
I feel like I’ve spent my entire life in vain. I should be at a point now where I get to pick who opens for me but nobody cares. I told the club owner about it and he just laughed and said “You’ll handle it. You always do.” It’s a compliment in way but not how I want one.
I want to go up there and give an audience my absolute all. If someone comes out to see me I want to make sure they never get cheated but I have to dig my way out of a big hole when opening acts go blue. One would think I’d have some control over that but I don’t.
My godmother Anita Baumann came out to see me tonight for the very first time. She’s really great and as a kid she always sent me birthday and Christmas cards and I remember it fondly. She was a sweetheart then and is now. We’ve been in contact via email but until tonight she’s never been able to come out and see me perform. Then she has to see that.
My friend Lynn Miner came out as well. He used to be a professor at Marquette and is one of the smartest and nicest people I know. He alluded to it as well. I apologized but the fact is the damage was done. They didn’t come to hear that and I was very embarrassed.
The late show was even worse. My friend Shelley’s class reunion came out and I had to dig my way out of the hole again and it was like pushing a freight train through thick mud up a hill with slippery shoes on. I was drenched in sweat when I got off stage and I had all I could do to keep the energy flowing for a full 45 minute show. This was all unnecessary.
I think I’m done as far as clubs like this go. If I’m not getting paid well and not having a good time and not getting any kind of incentive with a door deal or don’t have any control over the filthy acts that go up in front of me why the hell am I doing it at all? Beats me.
The ride home tonight was one of the longest I’ve had in recent memory. I have nothing personal against the club owners, and in fact I like them very much. I just refuse to let this kind of atmosphere perpetuate itself. If I have to get a day job I have to, but this is brutal.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Old Friends, New Friends
Thursday August 13th, 2009 - Brookfield, WI
Today was a test of my patience, but I think I passed. I don’t think it was an A+ but that doesn’t matter. What’s important is I didn’t flunk. I’m not perfect yet but at least I can see improvement. There was a time I wouldn’t have been able to keep it cool like I did today.
Two really good things happened so I’ll focus on those. First, I met for lunch with Tom ‘Sky’ Skibosh who was the P.R. director for the Milwaukee Brewers for 19 years. I heard his name around for years and always heard he was a good guy. I heard right. He now is a speaker and offered to share some hints and tips if I wanted to hear them. Of course I did.
It never hurts to network with a good soul, especially when it’s one who is in a position to exchange leads for work. He is a very funny guy naturally and although he doesn’t call himself a comedian he still makes people laugh. I know I can do it too and the only thing different are the venues and booking methods. The actual presentation process is similar.
There’s no real secret. Here’s a microphone. There’s the audience. Make them laugh. In theory it’s the same thing but in the speaking business the money is significantly higher. I have talked to my friend Todd Hunt many times about it and he said the real difference is how the gigs are booked. Comedy has a circuit of clubs and venues. Speaking does not.
Speakers have to be WAY better at marketing than comedians because they have to sell themselves to someone who usually isn’t at all familiar with the entertainment business. It usually falls in the hands of some elected committee member who will be gone next year.
That represents a whole new set of problems but when a gig does get booked the money is usually pretty good to make up for it. Sky was very helpful and fun to hang with. I love sports and he gave me a copy of his book which is packed with stories of his Brewer days.
I grew up watching those teams so the stories have an extra special meaning to me. He’s a great story teller and I can see why the guy gets work. He’s a natural entertainer and has an engaging style. His website is www.skyspeaks.com in case you ever need a speaker.
Sky said the speaking business is taking a hit just like comedy is and those who used to make huge money are not nearly as booked as they’re used to. That’s just how it is at this time and I know I’m not the only one that’s feeling the pinch. We’re all having to scrimp.
After lunch I was going to make the rounds and visit some friends but I noticed that my front end on my car was really starting to make a nasty noise. I found a car place near my cousin Brett’s house and took it there to have them tell me how much of a hit I’d have to take. I knew it wouldn’t be cheap and I was right. Full rectal insertion: $755.67. YIKES!
I’ve never actually found out what a ‘yike’ is but I sure was not expecting a bill like that today. They tried to tell me what it was but all I heard was “Blah blah blah blah $755.67.” Does it really matter after that? It was some front end bearing and it was ‘disintegrated’.
It took them the rest of the afternoon to fix it and they initially promised it to be done at 5:30. I knew I needed to get it done because I really need a car. This one has to last me for at least six months at this point so I can make my money back. Hopefully I won’t wreck it like that last nice Toyota Camry I had last year. I still wish I had that one. What a peach.
This one is pretty decent too but now I’ve got an investment I need to protect. The place couldn’t get whatever part they needed and I ended up getting out of there at 6:25. I had a hard time holding my tongue without really letting the owner have it because not only did his minion have the personality of a doorknob, he made fun of the fact it cost so much.
I don’t need any jokes stuck in my face by a punk kid and I wanted to take a wrench and loosen his ball joints but I shut my mouth and lowered my voice to ask when I could have the car back. Personal attacks wouldn’t have made it any better or cheaper so I kept quiet.
The owner tried to explain how he couldn’t get the part and I told him I didn’t care a bit about that and I didn’t. His guy told me 5:30. Period. Now it was almost an hour late. The show at Giggles starts at 7:15 so now I have to fight traffic for the Wisconsin State Fair as the garage was just a few blocks away. I was under high stress and trying to remain calm.
I had heard from my librarian friend Miss Roberts that she was coming out to the show tonight and I had to stop and buy her flowers. I’ve waited over 30 years to see her and she would have to come out on the night I was under so much stress. I got the flowers and got to the club and there were about 30 people. My heart sank. Welcome home, Mr. Lucky!
My friend Steve Purcell drove in from Madison to hang out and that was extremely nice of him to do that. My other friend Don Schmitt and his wife Marie came out as well along with Donna Gurda who booked the Tom Green Elvis shows I’ve done for so many years.
Those are all some of the very nicest people I know and I didn’t want to bring them into my world of torture so I tried my best to strap on the game face and do the show. I wanted so to make Miss Roberts feel special and during the show I mentioned that she was in the audience and told the story of how she booked me for my first show all those years ago.
The audience applauded and Miss Roberts came up to get her flowers but she wouldn’t take the $5 I offered to pay back to her because I was so horrible at that show. The crowd laughed hard at it and it was one of the most wonderful feelings I’ve ever had in my life.
The look on her face was magic and we talked afterward and what a dynamic lady she is even now. She was at the Brewer game today with an ex librarian friend of hers and both of them were amazingly complimentary. We took pictures and I thanked her again for her kindness and $5 that went so far after all these years. Moments like that don’t come often.
My car problems will return as they always do. I’ll get them fixed as I always do. That’s something I’m used to by now. What I’m not used to is being able to thank the kind souls in my life like Miss Roberts or welcome new friends like Sky. That has to be my focus.
Today was a test of my patience, but I think I passed. I don’t think it was an A+ but that doesn’t matter. What’s important is I didn’t flunk. I’m not perfect yet but at least I can see improvement. There was a time I wouldn’t have been able to keep it cool like I did today.
Two really good things happened so I’ll focus on those. First, I met for lunch with Tom ‘Sky’ Skibosh who was the P.R. director for the Milwaukee Brewers for 19 years. I heard his name around for years and always heard he was a good guy. I heard right. He now is a speaker and offered to share some hints and tips if I wanted to hear them. Of course I did.
It never hurts to network with a good soul, especially when it’s one who is in a position to exchange leads for work. He is a very funny guy naturally and although he doesn’t call himself a comedian he still makes people laugh. I know I can do it too and the only thing different are the venues and booking methods. The actual presentation process is similar.
There’s no real secret. Here’s a microphone. There’s the audience. Make them laugh. In theory it’s the same thing but in the speaking business the money is significantly higher. I have talked to my friend Todd Hunt many times about it and he said the real difference is how the gigs are booked. Comedy has a circuit of clubs and venues. Speaking does not.
Speakers have to be WAY better at marketing than comedians because they have to sell themselves to someone who usually isn’t at all familiar with the entertainment business. It usually falls in the hands of some elected committee member who will be gone next year.
That represents a whole new set of problems but when a gig does get booked the money is usually pretty good to make up for it. Sky was very helpful and fun to hang with. I love sports and he gave me a copy of his book which is packed with stories of his Brewer days.
I grew up watching those teams so the stories have an extra special meaning to me. He’s a great story teller and I can see why the guy gets work. He’s a natural entertainer and has an engaging style. His website is www.skyspeaks.com in case you ever need a speaker.
Sky said the speaking business is taking a hit just like comedy is and those who used to make huge money are not nearly as booked as they’re used to. That’s just how it is at this time and I know I’m not the only one that’s feeling the pinch. We’re all having to scrimp.
After lunch I was going to make the rounds and visit some friends but I noticed that my front end on my car was really starting to make a nasty noise. I found a car place near my cousin Brett’s house and took it there to have them tell me how much of a hit I’d have to take. I knew it wouldn’t be cheap and I was right. Full rectal insertion: $755.67. YIKES!
I’ve never actually found out what a ‘yike’ is but I sure was not expecting a bill like that today. They tried to tell me what it was but all I heard was “Blah blah blah blah $755.67.” Does it really matter after that? It was some front end bearing and it was ‘disintegrated’.
It took them the rest of the afternoon to fix it and they initially promised it to be done at 5:30. I knew I needed to get it done because I really need a car. This one has to last me for at least six months at this point so I can make my money back. Hopefully I won’t wreck it like that last nice Toyota Camry I had last year. I still wish I had that one. What a peach.
This one is pretty decent too but now I’ve got an investment I need to protect. The place couldn’t get whatever part they needed and I ended up getting out of there at 6:25. I had a hard time holding my tongue without really letting the owner have it because not only did his minion have the personality of a doorknob, he made fun of the fact it cost so much.
I don’t need any jokes stuck in my face by a punk kid and I wanted to take a wrench and loosen his ball joints but I shut my mouth and lowered my voice to ask when I could have the car back. Personal attacks wouldn’t have made it any better or cheaper so I kept quiet.
The owner tried to explain how he couldn’t get the part and I told him I didn’t care a bit about that and I didn’t. His guy told me 5:30. Period. Now it was almost an hour late. The show at Giggles starts at 7:15 so now I have to fight traffic for the Wisconsin State Fair as the garage was just a few blocks away. I was under high stress and trying to remain calm.
I had heard from my librarian friend Miss Roberts that she was coming out to the show tonight and I had to stop and buy her flowers. I’ve waited over 30 years to see her and she would have to come out on the night I was under so much stress. I got the flowers and got to the club and there were about 30 people. My heart sank. Welcome home, Mr. Lucky!
My friend Steve Purcell drove in from Madison to hang out and that was extremely nice of him to do that. My other friend Don Schmitt and his wife Marie came out as well along with Donna Gurda who booked the Tom Green Elvis shows I’ve done for so many years.
Those are all some of the very nicest people I know and I didn’t want to bring them into my world of torture so I tried my best to strap on the game face and do the show. I wanted so to make Miss Roberts feel special and during the show I mentioned that she was in the audience and told the story of how she booked me for my first show all those years ago.
The audience applauded and Miss Roberts came up to get her flowers but she wouldn’t take the $5 I offered to pay back to her because I was so horrible at that show. The crowd laughed hard at it and it was one of the most wonderful feelings I’ve ever had in my life.
The look on her face was magic and we talked afterward and what a dynamic lady she is even now. She was at the Brewer game today with an ex librarian friend of hers and both of them were amazingly complimentary. We took pictures and I thanked her again for her kindness and $5 that went so far after all these years. Moments like that don’t come often.
My car problems will return as they always do. I’ll get them fixed as I always do. That’s something I’m used to by now. What I’m not used to is being able to thank the kind souls in my life like Miss Roberts or welcome new friends like Sky. That has to be my focus.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Backstage B.S. Brewing
Wednesday August 12th, 2009 - Lake Villa, IL
I won’t lie, I’m feeling a little cranky right now. No, it‘s more than that. I‘m down right pissed. About several things. Anger in itself isn’t bad but how I choose to react to it is the $64,000 question. In the past I’ve made some extremely stupid choices I wouldn’t choose to make again if I had a second shot, but I didn‘t. Now I’ve got some scars and baggage.
My knee jerk reactions of the past cost me a lot in the long run. Even though I still feel I was in the right all these years later, that doesn’t matter. PERCEPTION was that I was the problem so rather than hunt down the real truth I was unfairly branded as being ‘difficult’. It’s never been about who’s really right or wrong. It’s always about perception. It truly is.
Am I difficult to work with? YES. But only if the person I’m working with is a halfwit. I usually know what I want to the smallest detail and if someone has a clue they get it and we have no problems. When I come across an imbecile who just gets in the way is when a problem arises. I’m a polarizer and always have been. I’m either loved or totally loathed.
I try very hard to please people. I really do. I admit my mistakes freely and never claim I know everything. I’m a dented can struggling to make it through life from circumstances I wouldn’t wish on even the halfwits I’ve clashed with in my life. I don’t wish bad on them at all. I just want them to get the hell out of my way and let me complete my inner vision.
One of the things I’m pretty honked off about is this week of shows I’ve got coming up at Giggles Comedy Pub in Brookfield, WI. I’ve worked there several times over the years and I truly like the owners there. The staff is very nice and it’s a low pressure work week.
I can see friends and hang out and it’s usually a lot of fun. Now that I’m getting older it doesn’t mean as much to me anymore to do things for fun. I need to get PAID. I’ve paid a lifetime of dues to get to this level and it’s coming to a point where it has to be worth it.
The booking agency who has been in charge of Giggles is a guy I’ve worked with many years. I’ve talked about him before and I actually like the guy personally. I’ve had my ups and downs with him business wise over the years but I’ve really tried hard to patch it up.
I learned today he expects me to send in 25% of my pay this week as commission. I’ve never had to send any commissions before and I’ve worked for the agency twenty years. I thought the money was low to begin with and now I learn I have to eat an additional 25%.
My first reaction was not very positive to say the least. To make it worse, he didn’t even book me in there this particular time. My web person Shelley wanted me because she is in charge of her high school class reunion and they’re having the party at Giggles on Friday.
I’m very flattered Shelley asked for me specifically and the owners agreed to it. I did get a confirmation notice from the booker but I was already set with the club itself. Now I get word I’m going to have to send in a commission for the week and I get left with peanuts.
In the past there were a couple of one night gigs before Giggles and they helped make it a worthwhile week of work. Now those are gone for whatever reason and there’s only the three nights left. Sorry, that’s not my fault. My take home pay isn’t worth taking home.
I have to commit a weekend and I want to be paid for that. I don’t care how close it is or how much fun it is or anything else. I’ve worked hard to get my ability and I was just on a network TV show three weeks ago, yet I’m not getting one penny more than anyone else.
Why the hell did I even bother to get on TV? One would think bookers would watch the late night shows and fish for fresh blood to come through their clubs. Even the guy who is booking Giggles in my opinion should have called and opened his calendar and asked me which weeks I had open so he could promote it. He could still book me for a great price.
We could all make money if we’d work out a door deal of some sort and try to make it a special event. “Recently seen on CBS TV” could get some play in a medium sized city for the clubs there and I’d go in and kick major ass and be a super nice guy to the staff too. In a perfect world that’s exactly what should happen but instead I get tossed in the big pile.
I talked with a couple of other bookers recently trying to get some work that would be a smoother routing process and got back an icy cold “Filled that already.” Well, UNFILL it, you pud. How many times did I get bumped when I was coming up? Pay a brother back.
I’m not looking to fire anyone but it’s amazing how flat out clueless most of these guys really are. How about SWITCH a week? It’s happened to me but when I need to do it it’s a major hassle. Sorry, I have earned my right to pull rank. Do they want to book a strong act for a low price or do they want to lose out and keep it as it is? I don’t think they care.
I know I’m sniveling but a lifetime of this would make even Mother Theresa snap. It’s the same stupidity over and over again and I’m tired of it. This is why entertainers flip out and cop attitudes when they make it. I don’t wonder why anymore, but I really don’t want to have to be like this. With just a little bit of effort there can be a workable solution here.
All I want is to fill my calendar with decent work. By ‘decent’, I mean quality gigs in an environment where comedy is appreciated. No more toilets for low pay. I’m good at what I do but many of the bookers I’ve been working for still treat me like lint from the dryer.
Either I’ll have to book gigs myself, or find other places to work. Or both. I really don’t want to book my own shows because that’s a whole different job. I want to show up for a gig and do it. But I can’t if I don’t earn a living wage or get gouged 25% in commissions. I think I could get better rates from the Mafia, and at least I’d get to play in nicer joints.
I hope this doesn’t get ugly, but I sense that possibility brewing. I want to earn what I’m worth or I won’t work a place anymore. I can’t. This could be my last time at Giggles, but I still have a solid relationship with the Northern Lights Theatre at Potawatomi Casino. If that has to be my Milwaukee venue, so be it. It will be a test to see how this all plays out.
I won’t lie, I’m feeling a little cranky right now. No, it‘s more than that. I‘m down right pissed. About several things. Anger in itself isn’t bad but how I choose to react to it is the $64,000 question. In the past I’ve made some extremely stupid choices I wouldn’t choose to make again if I had a second shot, but I didn‘t. Now I’ve got some scars and baggage.
My knee jerk reactions of the past cost me a lot in the long run. Even though I still feel I was in the right all these years later, that doesn’t matter. PERCEPTION was that I was the problem so rather than hunt down the real truth I was unfairly branded as being ‘difficult’. It’s never been about who’s really right or wrong. It’s always about perception. It truly is.
Am I difficult to work with? YES. But only if the person I’m working with is a halfwit. I usually know what I want to the smallest detail and if someone has a clue they get it and we have no problems. When I come across an imbecile who just gets in the way is when a problem arises. I’m a polarizer and always have been. I’m either loved or totally loathed.
I try very hard to please people. I really do. I admit my mistakes freely and never claim I know everything. I’m a dented can struggling to make it through life from circumstances I wouldn’t wish on even the halfwits I’ve clashed with in my life. I don’t wish bad on them at all. I just want them to get the hell out of my way and let me complete my inner vision.
One of the things I’m pretty honked off about is this week of shows I’ve got coming up at Giggles Comedy Pub in Brookfield, WI. I’ve worked there several times over the years and I truly like the owners there. The staff is very nice and it’s a low pressure work week.
I can see friends and hang out and it’s usually a lot of fun. Now that I’m getting older it doesn’t mean as much to me anymore to do things for fun. I need to get PAID. I’ve paid a lifetime of dues to get to this level and it’s coming to a point where it has to be worth it.
The booking agency who has been in charge of Giggles is a guy I’ve worked with many years. I’ve talked about him before and I actually like the guy personally. I’ve had my ups and downs with him business wise over the years but I’ve really tried hard to patch it up.
I learned today he expects me to send in 25% of my pay this week as commission. I’ve never had to send any commissions before and I’ve worked for the agency twenty years. I thought the money was low to begin with and now I learn I have to eat an additional 25%.
My first reaction was not very positive to say the least. To make it worse, he didn’t even book me in there this particular time. My web person Shelley wanted me because she is in charge of her high school class reunion and they’re having the party at Giggles on Friday.
I’m very flattered Shelley asked for me specifically and the owners agreed to it. I did get a confirmation notice from the booker but I was already set with the club itself. Now I get word I’m going to have to send in a commission for the week and I get left with peanuts.
In the past there were a couple of one night gigs before Giggles and they helped make it a worthwhile week of work. Now those are gone for whatever reason and there’s only the three nights left. Sorry, that’s not my fault. My take home pay isn’t worth taking home.
I have to commit a weekend and I want to be paid for that. I don’t care how close it is or how much fun it is or anything else. I’ve worked hard to get my ability and I was just on a network TV show three weeks ago, yet I’m not getting one penny more than anyone else.
Why the hell did I even bother to get on TV? One would think bookers would watch the late night shows and fish for fresh blood to come through their clubs. Even the guy who is booking Giggles in my opinion should have called and opened his calendar and asked me which weeks I had open so he could promote it. He could still book me for a great price.
We could all make money if we’d work out a door deal of some sort and try to make it a special event. “Recently seen on CBS TV” could get some play in a medium sized city for the clubs there and I’d go in and kick major ass and be a super nice guy to the staff too. In a perfect world that’s exactly what should happen but instead I get tossed in the big pile.
I talked with a couple of other bookers recently trying to get some work that would be a smoother routing process and got back an icy cold “Filled that already.” Well, UNFILL it, you pud. How many times did I get bumped when I was coming up? Pay a brother back.
I’m not looking to fire anyone but it’s amazing how flat out clueless most of these guys really are. How about SWITCH a week? It’s happened to me but when I need to do it it’s a major hassle. Sorry, I have earned my right to pull rank. Do they want to book a strong act for a low price or do they want to lose out and keep it as it is? I don’t think they care.
I know I’m sniveling but a lifetime of this would make even Mother Theresa snap. It’s the same stupidity over and over again and I’m tired of it. This is why entertainers flip out and cop attitudes when they make it. I don’t wonder why anymore, but I really don’t want to have to be like this. With just a little bit of effort there can be a workable solution here.
All I want is to fill my calendar with decent work. By ‘decent’, I mean quality gigs in an environment where comedy is appreciated. No more toilets for low pay. I’m good at what I do but many of the bookers I’ve been working for still treat me like lint from the dryer.
Either I’ll have to book gigs myself, or find other places to work. Or both. I really don’t want to book my own shows because that’s a whole different job. I want to show up for a gig and do it. But I can’t if I don’t earn a living wage or get gouged 25% in commissions. I think I could get better rates from the Mafia, and at least I’d get to play in nicer joints.
I hope this doesn’t get ugly, but I sense that possibility brewing. I want to earn what I’m worth or I won’t work a place anymore. I can’t. This could be my last time at Giggles, but I still have a solid relationship with the Northern Lights Theatre at Potawatomi Casino. If that has to be my Milwaukee venue, so be it. It will be a test to see how this all plays out.
Directile Dysfunction
Tuesday August 11th, 2009 - Cary, IL
My entire day went in a completely different direction than I had planned and all I could do was try to run with it. I originally intended to work on my comedy class outline but my car has been making loud front end squeaking noises and I wanted to get it taken care of.
My classes will be over forever if my front wheel snaps off on the freeway and I skid my way to a violent fiery death. That’s something I could only do once but classes can repeat over and over so I chose to get the car fixed so I could continue with my lesson updates.
I always try to update my lessons and improve my system and I’m never satisfied. I like to constantly challenge myself to provide the best classes around and I know that I do that hands down. It’s not bragging, it’s a fact. Nobody works harder at studying the process of standup comedy and implementing it on stage before a live audience than me. NOBODY.
That’s why it really infuriates me when these other wannabes and charlatans come along and try to steal money from unsuspecting people. It’s happening all over the place and it’s really pissing me off but all I can do is make my own product better and blow them out of the water, or at least make it obvious for anyone with half a brain my product is superior.
It now becomes a marketing contest. I know in my heart how much grueling hard work and blood and sweat and sacrifice and passion went into learning my craft. Those mooks aren’t even at the top of the comedy club ladder much less have appeared on national TV other than maybe doing the wave at a football game. They don’t know what comedy is.
Unfortunately, neither do the ones taking their half assed ‘classes’ so it’s nothing more than the age old case of the blind leading the stupid. I have to overcome that by creating a method that the others aren’t doing and also market it to customers they aren’t reaching. I want this course to be the top comedy course in the world and also the best marketed.
The time seems to be here again where lots of people want to get into the business. It’s been cyclical and with the Adam Sandler movie out now there seems to be a new wave of people curious as to what comedy is all about. Unfortunately only a few of them will ever try it and even fewer will stick with it. Why? Because it’s DIFFICULT. But it’s also fun.
That’s what I stress in my classes and will continue to do so. Yes, I absolutely admit it’s bothering me that underqualified wannabes are oozing up through sewers everywhere but nobody else seems to care. Clubs are allowing this to go on but they don’t know better.
The one advantage I have in all of this is that Zanies in Chicago has let me exclusively teach their comedy classes since 1994. I have it documented and they will back me on it. They’re a player in Chicago and even though others are popping up I still get to continue mine at Zanies for as long as I choose to do it. THAT’S why I’m loyal to them in return.
I have an opportunity to take my business to a whole new level. The others are trying to copy me but they aren’t doing a very good job. They’re just distracting like mosquitoes.
I am way ahead of them all because I spent my life studying comedy and comedians and all the ins and outs of the business from a practical and hands on experience. It’s the main difference between college and the real world, or theory and reality. I’ve walked the walk.
Apparently there are enough people who don’t really care about that and I guess if they want to take a class from a less qualified person I can’t stop them. Quality costs more but sometimes there isn’t enough left over to experience it after money was wasted on junk.
I’ve always said it before and I’m saying it now that I love to teach people who want to devote their lives to comedy, either as writers or performers. That’s who I most desire for companionship on any level. If I’m on the road with a comic I want that comic to want to learn his craft just like I had to and just like everyone before me had to. It’s a long road.
There are no easy answers and quick solutions just like there aren’t any quick ways that make a million dollars in real estate with no effort other than listening to a tape and going to the local courthouse and deciding which foreclosed on mansion you want given to you. Comedy is difficult as is real estate as is running a McDonald’s. Nobody rides for free.
Maybe these idiots are doing me a favor in the long run. They’re weeding out the misfit masses who don’t really want to learn about comedy but are only looking for a quick easy way to effortless superstardom even though they’ve never struggled for anything in life.
I want to get in there and WORK. I also want to work with those who want to work. I’m not promising any quick solutions. All I’m promising is to reveal my many mistakes so it will hopefully save time for a new person and help them avoid the same screw ups I did.
I also can accurately assess where a newbie’s strengths and weaknesses lie and tell them how to properly advance both onstage and off. If a person buys into it I have a lifelong fan and pupil and I have quite a few of those now. Tom Clark now lives in L.A. and headlines nice clubs and really has developed a nice career. I could see his talent in his first class.
That was 15 years ago now and he’s paid his dues and is teaching his own classes out in L.A. at the Comedysportz location apparently. THAT doesn’t bother me at all. In fact I’m very proud to hear that because I know I was his first entry into comedy and he’s still in it all these years later. I just saw him last week and he’s doing well. He’s really blossomed.
All my plans were put on hold today as I drove my car to get looked at near Jerry Agar’s house by a mechanic he recommended that worked on his car. I left it and the guy told me he’d look at it and we went back to Jerry’s to work on planning the live version of Jerry’s Kidders. We are shooting for work in theatres rather than clubs and we planned an attack.
We worked hard the entire afternoon and I called to see if my car was ready but they’d not even looked at it yet. I could have flipped out like I have all too often in the past but I calmly hung up and Jerry took me to pick up the car. I’ve got way more important things to be concerned about than one more squeak box car. That’s not my passion. Comedy is.
My entire day went in a completely different direction than I had planned and all I could do was try to run with it. I originally intended to work on my comedy class outline but my car has been making loud front end squeaking noises and I wanted to get it taken care of.
My classes will be over forever if my front wheel snaps off on the freeway and I skid my way to a violent fiery death. That’s something I could only do once but classes can repeat over and over so I chose to get the car fixed so I could continue with my lesson updates.
I always try to update my lessons and improve my system and I’m never satisfied. I like to constantly challenge myself to provide the best classes around and I know that I do that hands down. It’s not bragging, it’s a fact. Nobody works harder at studying the process of standup comedy and implementing it on stage before a live audience than me. NOBODY.
That’s why it really infuriates me when these other wannabes and charlatans come along and try to steal money from unsuspecting people. It’s happening all over the place and it’s really pissing me off but all I can do is make my own product better and blow them out of the water, or at least make it obvious for anyone with half a brain my product is superior.
It now becomes a marketing contest. I know in my heart how much grueling hard work and blood and sweat and sacrifice and passion went into learning my craft. Those mooks aren’t even at the top of the comedy club ladder much less have appeared on national TV other than maybe doing the wave at a football game. They don’t know what comedy is.
Unfortunately, neither do the ones taking their half assed ‘classes’ so it’s nothing more than the age old case of the blind leading the stupid. I have to overcome that by creating a method that the others aren’t doing and also market it to customers they aren’t reaching. I want this course to be the top comedy course in the world and also the best marketed.
The time seems to be here again where lots of people want to get into the business. It’s been cyclical and with the Adam Sandler movie out now there seems to be a new wave of people curious as to what comedy is all about. Unfortunately only a few of them will ever try it and even fewer will stick with it. Why? Because it’s DIFFICULT. But it’s also fun.
That’s what I stress in my classes and will continue to do so. Yes, I absolutely admit it’s bothering me that underqualified wannabes are oozing up through sewers everywhere but nobody else seems to care. Clubs are allowing this to go on but they don’t know better.
The one advantage I have in all of this is that Zanies in Chicago has let me exclusively teach their comedy classes since 1994. I have it documented and they will back me on it. They’re a player in Chicago and even though others are popping up I still get to continue mine at Zanies for as long as I choose to do it. THAT’S why I’m loyal to them in return.
I have an opportunity to take my business to a whole new level. The others are trying to copy me but they aren’t doing a very good job. They’re just distracting like mosquitoes.
I am way ahead of them all because I spent my life studying comedy and comedians and all the ins and outs of the business from a practical and hands on experience. It’s the main difference between college and the real world, or theory and reality. I’ve walked the walk.
Apparently there are enough people who don’t really care about that and I guess if they want to take a class from a less qualified person I can’t stop them. Quality costs more but sometimes there isn’t enough left over to experience it after money was wasted on junk.
I’ve always said it before and I’m saying it now that I love to teach people who want to devote their lives to comedy, either as writers or performers. That’s who I most desire for companionship on any level. If I’m on the road with a comic I want that comic to want to learn his craft just like I had to and just like everyone before me had to. It’s a long road.
There are no easy answers and quick solutions just like there aren’t any quick ways that make a million dollars in real estate with no effort other than listening to a tape and going to the local courthouse and deciding which foreclosed on mansion you want given to you. Comedy is difficult as is real estate as is running a McDonald’s. Nobody rides for free.
Maybe these idiots are doing me a favor in the long run. They’re weeding out the misfit masses who don’t really want to learn about comedy but are only looking for a quick easy way to effortless superstardom even though they’ve never struggled for anything in life.
I want to get in there and WORK. I also want to work with those who want to work. I’m not promising any quick solutions. All I’m promising is to reveal my many mistakes so it will hopefully save time for a new person and help them avoid the same screw ups I did.
I also can accurately assess where a newbie’s strengths and weaknesses lie and tell them how to properly advance both onstage and off. If a person buys into it I have a lifelong fan and pupil and I have quite a few of those now. Tom Clark now lives in L.A. and headlines nice clubs and really has developed a nice career. I could see his talent in his first class.
That was 15 years ago now and he’s paid his dues and is teaching his own classes out in L.A. at the Comedysportz location apparently. THAT doesn’t bother me at all. In fact I’m very proud to hear that because I know I was his first entry into comedy and he’s still in it all these years later. I just saw him last week and he’s doing well. He’s really blossomed.
All my plans were put on hold today as I drove my car to get looked at near Jerry Agar’s house by a mechanic he recommended that worked on his car. I left it and the guy told me he’d look at it and we went back to Jerry’s to work on planning the live version of Jerry’s Kidders. We are shooting for work in theatres rather than clubs and we planned an attack.
We worked hard the entire afternoon and I called to see if my car was ready but they’d not even looked at it yet. I could have flipped out like I have all too often in the past but I calmly hung up and Jerry took me to pick up the car. I’ve got way more important things to be concerned about than one more squeak box car. That’s not my passion. Comedy is.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The Turbanator
Monday August 10th, 2009 - Chicago, IL
I’m still riding the high from the whole radio experience in Kenosha last night. It wasn’t the actual show itself, even though that was totally fun. It’s the collective vibe of each one of the people that all fit together. I’m the one who created that and it’s all very satisfying.
I’m the one who got to be in charge of how the whole project developed and I let things happen organically. When someone showed up I found a place for them and encouraged a contribution based on what their strengths were. I built the show around the talents of the various cast members and didn’t rule with an iron fist. Now it’s all starting to gel nicely.
I’m attracting outstanding people of all different kinds and I totally love that. I’ve never wanted to just have clones of me around and thankfully there aren’t very many of those. It makes everyone better when it’s a diverse mix and that’s the beauty of this whole project.
We’ve got an eclectic and diverse mix of men and women and different age groups that come together on the air in exactly the right combination. There’s a real chemistry and we all can feel it and everyone enjoys it. The same feeling exists with Jerry’s Kidders as well. I’m not in charge of the Kidders but it’s still fun to be in the group. I love the team angle.
I always remember reading how Charlie Chaplin utilized his own creative team to make his films over the years. They were like a family and when it was time to work they had a strong chemistry that evolved over years of working together and everyone had their role.
Chaplin was in charge but he wasn’t an iron fisted dictator. He was the creative director of a group of talented people. Everyone knew it was Chaplin’s baby but they contributed to the whole and it worked. George Clinton has the same role in Parliament/Funkadelic. It starts and ends with him and he’s driving the bus but all kinds of talented people add to it.
That’s the model I want to use and it seems to be working at least on some level. I have attracted some very talented people and I love passing them the ball and letting them have their time in the spotlight. I know I can encourage them and get the best out of their talent and I really relish the leadership role in those situations. I want the best results for us all.
Today I had lunch with my friend Raminder Chadha. He’s a very good guy I’ve known for many years. He happens to be of Indian descent and has a very distinct look complete with turban and full beard. His nickname is ‘The Turbanator’ and he’s a wonderful soul.
I hadn’t seen Raminder in way too long and I invited Bill Gorgo to join us. Bill is a very creative mind as well and we had a fun and productive lunch. We kicked around so many ideas we lost count but I felt the spark of creativity the whole time and I always love that.
Raminder would be one of my choices for a creative team for many reasons. He’s smart and fun and fits totally into my vision of what an idea like this would be about. I’d love a group of talent at my disposal to start shaping projects around. Wait, I’ve already got one!
I’m still riding the high from the whole radio experience in Kenosha last night. It wasn’t the actual show itself, even though that was totally fun. It’s the collective vibe of each one of the people that all fit together. I’m the one who created that and it’s all very satisfying.
I’m the one who got to be in charge of how the whole project developed and I let things happen organically. When someone showed up I found a place for them and encouraged a contribution based on what their strengths were. I built the show around the talents of the various cast members and didn’t rule with an iron fist. Now it’s all starting to gel nicely.
I’m attracting outstanding people of all different kinds and I totally love that. I’ve never wanted to just have clones of me around and thankfully there aren’t very many of those. It makes everyone better when it’s a diverse mix and that’s the beauty of this whole project.
We’ve got an eclectic and diverse mix of men and women and different age groups that come together on the air in exactly the right combination. There’s a real chemistry and we all can feel it and everyone enjoys it. The same feeling exists with Jerry’s Kidders as well. I’m not in charge of the Kidders but it’s still fun to be in the group. I love the team angle.
I always remember reading how Charlie Chaplin utilized his own creative team to make his films over the years. They were like a family and when it was time to work they had a strong chemistry that evolved over years of working together and everyone had their role.
Chaplin was in charge but he wasn’t an iron fisted dictator. He was the creative director of a group of talented people. Everyone knew it was Chaplin’s baby but they contributed to the whole and it worked. George Clinton has the same role in Parliament/Funkadelic. It starts and ends with him and he’s driving the bus but all kinds of talented people add to it.
That’s the model I want to use and it seems to be working at least on some level. I have attracted some very talented people and I love passing them the ball and letting them have their time in the spotlight. I know I can encourage them and get the best out of their talent and I really relish the leadership role in those situations. I want the best results for us all.
Today I had lunch with my friend Raminder Chadha. He’s a very good guy I’ve known for many years. He happens to be of Indian descent and has a very distinct look complete with turban and full beard. His nickname is ‘The Turbanator’ and he’s a wonderful soul.
I hadn’t seen Raminder in way too long and I invited Bill Gorgo to join us. Bill is a very creative mind as well and we had a fun and productive lunch. We kicked around so many ideas we lost count but I felt the spark of creativity the whole time and I always love that.
Raminder would be one of my choices for a creative team for many reasons. He’s smart and fun and fits totally into my vision of what an idea like this would be about. I’d love a group of talent at my disposal to start shaping projects around. Wait, I’ve already got one!
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